My Stolen Love
by AnnaTom23
Summary: When Caroline's husband, Enzo, dies in an unfortunate accident, she is left with too little (resources and) to survive. Knowing her stubbornness, Klaus offers her a solution to all her problems which might also be the solution to all his problems. Marrying him. Left with little choice, Caroline takes him up on his deal trusting him as her best friend. But maybe that's her mistake.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Klaus firmly believed that there was no happiness in life.

 _No long lasting happiness, anyway._

There was only wealth, power, authority and position in life. No emotions, nothing else really mattered.

The funeral he was attending, under the dark weeping sky, was just another example of that. It seemed that the weather agreed with the emotions of the crowd. Enzo's death, after all, had been unexpected and unwelcome. But instead of crying or feeling sad, Klaus kept his eyes firmly trained on the mahogany, dark wood casket as it lowered into the ground.

He could hear the sobs of the female members present. But among them the harshest cries came from Maggie, Enzo's sister and Liz, not a direct relative of Enzo but still very much affected by his death. After all, he _was_ her son-in-law.

But that didn't matter to Klaus. He didn't care about how much Maggie was crying or _anyone_ for that matter. He just felt as he should've been sadder. However, he couldn't force the emotions in himself.

Enzo was his best friend.

It was hate at first sight, to be honest. There was just too many similarities between the two.

 _British. Arrogant. Cocky. Good looking. In love with the same girl._

If he was totally honest with himself, though, the last one was obviously not unexpected. Caroline Forbes was such a _majestic_ beauty that one couldn't help but be drawn to her. But the shocking part was that she hadn't chosen him but _Enzo_ in the end.

To be fair, he hadn't ever owned up to ask her really. He had always chosen to remain smug and conceited because it was all part of his 'Klaus-persona'. Enzo, however, had always chosen to openly show his interest in Caroline.

Klaus had also in return shown his dislike for Enzo as he had to share _his_ Caroline with him. The three of them had become unlikely friends during high school and then remained best friends even after going off to different colleges and then later on their jobs.

Caroline had only completed her education and started working as an assistant to an interior decorator when Enzo had proposed and she had said yes.

Enzo, himself, hadn't been very stable at the time but he knew Caroline didn't care for his money. She only cared for him. _Loved him._ After all, it was proved when the two of them moved together in a comfortable, respectable yet tiny apartment after getting married. Enzo was only a regular financial advisor in some firm.

Klaus, on the other hand, was a totally different story. After losing Caroline to his own best friend, he had put every bit of his energy into his work and pushed himself beyond his limits to achieve what he had achieved today.

 _His father's approval and the seat of CEO of Mikaelson Inc._

Mikael had been extremely proud and had happily handed the company off to his third but _only_ son whom he felt would do something valuable with his life.

The reason behind his success was only one.

 _He never let emotions get in the way of his life._

The other reason that his mind kept yelling at him was Enzo's endless support and Caroline's rejection. Though, he chose to ignore that part.

Honestly, he always felt like it was Caroline who was the adhesive force between the three of them. But he never felt like Enzo and his friendship was forced. He liked Enzo and genuinely enjoyed his company. He was one of the only true friends he had. Except for Stefan and Marcel.

He felt some movement beside him and looked up to see his baby sister making her way to him and standing next to him, silently, as they both observed Maggie speaking into the microphone about Enzo.

"You don't look too sad" Rebekah never was one to beat around the bush. Klaus glanced at her, only to watch her wiping a black, silk handkerchief (matching her black hat fascinator with a birdcage veil) under her dry eyes, only for pretense.

"Straight to the point" Klaus murmured, his voice laced with dry amusement. "You don't look very sad either. Might I ask why, sister?" he asked, keeping his eyes trained on the ceremony ahead of him. Even though, he knew the answer to that, he still wanted her to admit it.

Rebekah hated Enzo to point where she would be even willing to kill him. It was unknown to Klaus, Caroline and pretty much everyone why the blonde hated her favorite brother's best friend. But to the blonde it was simple really. She had seen the way her brother would light up at the mention of Caroline and how madly in love he was with her and she knew that Caroline had fancied her brother too for a time in their teens.

So it was basically Enzo who came between the two. It was _Enzo_ who came between her brother's happiness. She also knew it was also Klaus' fault for neither pursuing Caroline nor letting her go. But Klaus had seen so much in life, he was allowed a mistake or two.

Rebekah shrugged. "Let's not talk _ill of the dead_ " she remarked as she sighed loudly when the ceremony ended and people started walking away after paying their respects to both the Forbes' family and Augustine's. "You know, she's not going to be very pleased with this" Rebekah continued as they started moving towards Liz and Bill Forbes.

Klaus sighed inaudibly but kept composure.

"Given the current predicament, it was for the best" Elijah's voice came from behind them as he joined his siblings looking impeccable in his black suit, with his hands shoved into his pant pockets. "But generally, yes, I agree with Rebekah" he added, sincerely.

Klaus bristled at that. "Thank you both of you for your _unnecessary_ yet very obvious input" he glowered at both of them.

"Not that anyone asked _my_ opinion but I think _Care bear_ has every right to be upset" came the voice of their annoying younger brother which made the three elders groan out loud. "Now now! Don't be nasty" he remarked as he slung his arm casually around Rebekah's shoulders who nudged him with a hiss.

"Stop calling her that" Klaus growled lowly. He absolutely detested any sort of nickname for Caroline. Except for _his_ pet names for _her_. She had a beautiful name and no one had the right to ruin it. "She was in no condition to attend the funeral. _Moreover_ , the doctor said that she needed complete rest which would've been impossible if I would've told her about Enzo's death" he reasoned sternly. The tone of his answer hard and cold enough to make his family shut up.

"Our most sincere and deepest condolences for your loss" Elijah said as he neared the Forbes' family and shook hands with Caroline's father.

Rebekah drew Liz into a comforting hug. "Enzo's death is most _unfortunate_ " she commented, faking sympathy. "I do hope Caroline recovers, though. She is still so young after all" she added, not wasting a moment to drop the idea into Liz's mind.

Liz nodded and lightly blew into the tissue in her trembling fingers. "I don't know how we're even going to tell her" she cried out, shaking her head.

"Who is with her at the hospital right now?" Klaus asked suddenly as he looked around and saw everyone in attendance. If they were all here, who was with Caroline?

"Elena and Bonnie will be heading there right now. They just wanted to attend the funeral- Bill started but Klaus cut him off.

"No need! You can all attend this _bloody funeral_. I'll be going to the hospital myself" Klaus growled angrily as he loosened the tie around his neck. How he hated these _bloody_ suits.

Bill sighed loudly. "There's no need to be so angry Klaus. We told the doctors to inform us if something happened. She hasn't even woken up yet" he tried to reassure him.

Klaus took a menacing step closer. "And what if she _had_ woken up? Alone and confused with only some unknown doctors surrounding her?" he countered, clenching his fists at their irresponsibility.

"She's our daughter. We would only do what's best for her" Liz argued, feeling her own anger rising.

Klaus held his hand up, not wanting to hear their lame ass excuses. "Consider yourself free from Caroline's responsibilities. She's not a burden to me" he snarled before storming off because he was sure if he heard another word of their lying mouths, he was going to lose it.

Elijah sighed and turned to the girl's parents. "I apologize on Niklaus' behalf. The accident and now Enzo's death has him on edge" he explained, despondently, as he fell into the memory of maybe the most tragic event of their lives.

It had been a rainy day and the warning of a storm had been issued. Caroline and Enzo were making their way to her parents' house for dinner when their car had collided with a high speed, opposing truck, which had slipped towards their lane because of the wet road.

Thankfully for Caroline, Enzo had held her back with his arm across her keeping her somewhat protected but he had lost his own life in the process, after being thrown out of the windscreen. He had been declared dead within the first hour of reaching the hospital.

Caroline's condition though better than Enzo's hadn't been very good either. She had several scratches and bruises all over her body, had broken her right leg and fractured her wrist. Still hidden from Klaus, Caroline had woken up once for a short span of a few minutes only to ask if Enzo was alright. But Liz had lied and told her that he was fine because they didn't need Caroline to lose herself at that moment.

They needed her to stay strong and they needed her to fight this through.

But if Klaus had known that she had gained consciousness first, he would've forced them to tell her the truth. The truth about her husband's death.

"It's understandable" Bill said, nodding stiffly.

Liz sniffled and wiped her cheeks only for new tears to replace the old ones. "I don't know what Caroline will do now. She has her whole life ahead of her" she said, wistfully.

Bill lowly snorted at that. "She should've chosen a better partner then" he snidely commented, thankful that Klaus was gone. Truth was that no one had really encouraged Caroline's relationship with Enzo. They had always pushed her more towards Klaus. At least her parents had.

They had always wanted someone more _stable_ for her. Coming from the type of lifestyle she did, they wanted reassurance that she would always have a bright future ahead of her. Klaus, coming from the financial background, would've been the perfect choice for Caroline. The two had grown up together, cared deeply for each other and both would have been _perfect_ together.

But Caroline being her stubborn self, had chosen Enzo who didn't even have health insurance at a point.

"Bill!" Liz admonished, appalled by his behavior even though deep down she agreed with his thoughts.

"It's true and you know it" he argued back, stiffly.

Rebekah chose the moment to play her triumph card and laid her hand on Liz's shoulder. "You two have nothing to worry about. As long as Nik's here, as he said, you have nothing to worry about from Caroline's side" she reassured them cunningly. "Consider her his responsibility" she added with a mischievous glint in her eyes which went unnoticed by the rest except for Elijah.

Just because Caroline and Klaus had made a mistake the first time, didn't mean that they didn't deserve a second chance.

Klaus quietly entered into the hospital room and closed the door behind him. He walked over to her bedside and carefully sat down on the chair placed there. He gently ran his finger down her cheek and sighed.

Caroline was still asleep but after his brief yet enlightening talk with the doctor, he had gotten to know that her vitals were stable and she would make a full recovery. But what he found frustratingly amusing was the fact that Caroline's and his own family thought that they could hide from him that she had already woken up.

For a short duration but she had.

Did they honestly think of him as a fool? That he wouldn't find out? He knew everything about Caroline five minutes after he was informed about the accident.

Still he agreed with their decision to keep her in the dark about Enzo's death. It had been a harsh enough blow for him, alone. He wasn't sure what she would've done.

With a loud sigh, he took a pencil and looked around to find a newspaper, lying on the bedside. He picked it up, leaned back in his chair and started sketching her. She was beautiful, truly and had always made a magnificent subject for his sketching and painting.

Not that he would ever admit it out loud to her. Just like he would never admit that he was in love with her.

He could still remember the first day, she had _truly_ broken his heart and that day, he had shut off any emotions he ever felt.

 _Klaus felt really nervous. He didn't know why but Caroline had called him over to her place. Her and Enzo's place, his subconscious ground out bitterly. But he ignored that part._

 _After tonight, hopefully she would move out of their and move in with him maybe. Honestly, he hated Caroline for one thing and one thing only and that was not choosing him but choosing their best friend. But whatever she had to say today, would have to wait because he was tired of keeping everything to himself. He wanted to let it out._

 _He was going to tell her how he actually felt about her tonight._

 _He entered her apartment which was unlocked as usual. Which annoyed him to no extent. The place was hardly worthy of her and it wasn't such a secure neighborhood either that she kept her door unlocked like that._

 _Did Enzo have no regard for her safety?_

" _Caroline" he called out as he placed the flowers in his hands in the vase by the kitchen. "Sweetheart, this better be important. I was working when you all but threatened my secretary to put your call through" he called out teasingly even though they both knew that he never would've sent her call away any way._

 _Even his secretary knew better than to turn away any call or visit from Caroline._

 _Worried that he hadn't heard anything from her, he exited her kitchenette to look for her towards her bedroom and as expected he found her at the edge of room. He caught her as she came barreling at him at full speed._

 _He wrapped his arms around her tightly as she gripped him in a bear hug, almost painfully. "Is everything alright, love?" he asked, worriedly yet enjoying the warmth her embrace gave him. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled her scent of lavender and honey which he loved so much._

 _It was a brief moment of true and utter bliss for him before she pulled away and gave him the brightest smile he had ever seen. He almost smiled himself that she was directing her most radiant smile at him before she lifted her hand and all but shoved it at his face._

 _As he focused on her hand, his face paled and he felt a dreadful feeling forming in his stomach._

 _A diamond ring._

 _Which could only mean one thing._

" _I'm engaged!" she yelled at him, excitedly as she hugged him again only this time, she kept blabbering and spouting out 'omg', 'I'm so happy' and what not._

 _But he could feel his heart slowing down and this ringing noise in his ears. Suddenly, he felt faint but kept himself upright, somehow. He felt tears stinging his eyes but he blinked them away and gave her a tight smile and placed a kiss on her cheek._

" _Congratulations, sweetheart" he said, swallowing the lump in his throat as tears clogged his eyes. His voice was thick but he forced it not to sound like he was on the verge of breaking down. Coughing, he looked down and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Where's Enzo?" he asked, trying very hard not to look into his eyes._

" _He's gone out to get some wine" she told him, distractedly before turning back to him. "I wanted you to be the first one to know" she said, as if he was supposed to be happy by that news. Suddenly, all the anguish he felt transformed into anger and betrayal. How dare she choose Enzo when she clearly had him as an option? Didn't she ever realize how much he loved her? How much he cared for her?_

 _In that moment, though he hugged her and smiled at her, his heart broke little by little but before it could shatter completely, he steeled it and forced all of the emotions he felt into one thing and one thing only._

 _Rage._

It was that day that he had built the walls around his heart so hard and tight that he wouldn't let any emotion slip through. And not even Enzo's death had shook those walls but one news had. Caroline's accident.

He had been devastated and so very anxious at first. The only thing he'd been informed off in the beginning was that Caroline had been shifted to the hospital because her car crashed in a fatal accident.

Momentarily, his heart had stopped beating before he was reassured that Caroline was only severely injured but generally fine.

Except for that _weak_ moment, he had kept himself completely under control.

And now he was going to keep everything under his control again. Caroline wouldn't ever get the chance to be so _irresponsible_ again. She wouldn't ever be in danger again. He wouldn't even let her out of his sight now to make sure that she would always remain safe and sound. He didn't care if he had to keep her locked and bound, he would do it if it meant keeping her safe.

She could scream at him, yell at him, curse him but he wasn't letting her out of his sight again.

As the nurse came to check Caroline's vitals, she smiled sympathetically at him. "She's in good hands here, Mr. Mikaelson. You can go back home and rest for a few hours if you'd like" she offered, knowing how tired he must be considering he had been there from morning.

She also knew that it must be impossible for him to move away from the patient now because she could see it in his eyes how much he cared about her. It was almost like he loved her. And she was _sure_ in her mind that he did.

But obviously, no one else knew or no one else cared because she was told that the girl's husband had just died after being brought into the hospital.

Judging from Klaus' black suit and tie, she guessed he had come directly from the funeral.

"No need" he said through gritted teeth. "I'm here till she is. Which is not supposed to be a minute more than when the drip finishes" he said, glancing at the Rolex on his wrist. "I'm sure the doctor has told you all about the shift" he said, mentally thinking if he should hire another nurse. He'd already hired three of them to take care of Caroline when she would be shifted to his penthouse. The doctors had advised strictly against it, arguing that she would be better in the hospital.

But he had remained firm and had all kind of equipment and necessities shifted into the guestroom next to his bedroom in his house to make sure that nothing would be insufficient and this way, he could keep a closer eye on Caroline, as well.

"Yes. Will you be needing the ambulance for transportation?" the nurse asked, trying to hide her disapproval of the young man's rash decisions. But then again, she could also see how much he loved the girl so it was justified to some extent.

"No. I'll be taking her with me" Klaus said as he stood up and answered his cellphone. When would his assistant learn? "Make sure she's ready when the medicine finishes" he directed the nurse who glared him at his bossy tone. But he paid no mind to her and went outside to answer his phone.

"Whatever it is, tell Elijah to deal with it. I'm busy right now" he snapped at his assistant. "And call me only in case of emergencies" he added as an afterthought before hanging up the call in the middle of the poor woman's apologies.

He was about to head inside when he caught sight of Bill Forbes coming straight his way with Elijah and Kol in tow.

"Who do you think you are to get Caroline shifted to _your_ house without our consent?" Bill sneered as he tried (and failed) to intimidate Klaus who stood there with an uninterested expression on his face.

"Niklaus" Elijah said in warning which had Kol and Klaus rolling their eyes.

"One call to Mikael will set you straight" Bill said, making an action of taking out his phone and pretending to call his father but by that time Klaus' playful expression was long gone.

He narrowed his eyes on the man in front of him before opening his arms wide. "Go ahead. Call him. Bring him here. Do whatever the _bloody_ hell you want to do because I honestly don't give a lick what you or father do" he hissed at him, shrugging. "I will take Caroline to the only place where I'll be hundred percent sure that she is well taken care off" he replied sternly before heading back towards the room with Kol following him.

Elijah placed a hand on Bill's shoulder. "I'll make sure she's well taken care of" That was all he could do now. Klaus's decision was firm and final. Caroline was going to Klaus' place whether Bill liked it or not. "Come. Let's see if there's any progress" he said but before he could complete the sentence completely he saw Rebekah and Liz coming from behind towards them.

"Rebekah, I thought you were going home" Elijah said, confused to see the two rushing to them.

Liz had tears running down her cheeks while Rebekah seemed a little less annoyed than usual. "She got a message from the doctor- before she could complete her sentence, Kol came to them.

"She's awake" he sung in a melodic voice and gave way to everyone who went through and winced dramatically when Rebekah knocked her shoulder with his forcefully. "Ouch" he muttered before following them but he stood outside the room, to give them all some space.

They all wandered inside the room to see the nurse helping Caroline sit up straight, putting a pillow behind her back. Klaus, not very far behind, watching every move of the nurse like a hawk. It prompted Rebekah to roll her eyes.

"Caroline" Liz cried out and hugged her daughter, who winced a little. "Sorry" the older blonde muttered, pulling back only a little to let her daughter feel comfortable.

"My arm hurts" Caroline complained, groggily as she craned her neck. "Everything's sore" she almost whined out, like a child.

The nurse smiled. "I'll get the doctor. But the worst is over" she said, smiling at the family before exiting the room, quietly.

"It's supposed to hurt sweetheart" Klaus spoke up from his corner, arms crossed over his chest as he gazed at her with an unreadable expression but the anger clear in his tone. "Considering you fractured your arm, broke a rib or two, twisted your ankle, I'm sure it's _supposed_ to be _sore_ " he added, more firmly, his jaw setting.

"Give it a rest Nik. At least she'll all well now" Rebekah said, smiling to ease the blonde a little.

Liz let out a small laugh at the siblings' quarrelling and everyone let small smiles appear on their faces before Caroline's next words froze them.

" _How's Enzo?_ "

Everyone stayed silent for far too long and it was enough for Caroline to frown. She turned to her left side to face her father who looked down almost guiltily but she didn't catch the expression on his face because her eyes caught sight of the vase of beautiful, pink tiger lilies on her bedside.

"Did he ask you guys you send these?" Caroline questioned with a slight smile tugging her lips. "He always did know that I loved the pink ones more than the orange ones" she continued on but her words were like a strike to Klaus' heart who clenched his fists.

 _He knew her favorite flowers even before Enzo._

Rebekah pressed her lips together and glanced at her brother sympathetically. She knew that Klaus didn't do emotions or gifts. But for Caroline, he had gone out of his way every day to make sure that there were always fresh flowers by her bedside. And only her favorite ones.

"He's gone" Klaus spoke out in a cold tone, making everyone's head snap to him.

Rebekah wanted to chastise her brother for his careless and thoughtless announcement but refrained herself from doing so and quietly crept out of the room with Elijah in tow who left to give the family some much needed space.

"Klaus…" Liz warned him angrily but deep down in her heart, she knew better than to delay the inevitable.

"It's okay, Liz. We have to tell her sooner or later" Bill said, moving to stand next to Liz who was sitting on the chair by Caroline's side.

Caroline's frown deepened and she tried not to let her mind wander to all the terrible thoughts. "Tell me what?" she choked out in a panicked voice. " _Tell me what mom_?!" she asked, angrily, as she felt tears pricking her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Caroline"

Shaking her head, Caroline tried to block out the meaning behind her mother's words. "No. no. NO!" she refused to believe this. It couldn't be. It had to be a sick joke. "Where's Enzo?" she asked again, her voice trembling as tears slipped her eyes onto her cheeks. "WHERE IS HE?" she screamed at them, in agony.

"He's gone. His funeral was held in the morning. I'm so sorry baby- Bill tried but he was stopped when he looked at Caroline who was shaking uncontrollably and screaming at him with tears running down her –now- pink cheeks.

"What? How? Why didn't you tell me?" she let out everything all at once. She couldn't stop the words from flowing out of her mouth. The accusations kept running out of her mouth as the memories of her and Enzo started replaying in her mind. From their first smile, to their first date, to their first kiss to their wedding day.

Everything passed by her eyes like a movie.

Except it wasn't a movie. It was her life and it was now over. Her husband was dead. Enzo was dead.

"Oh my God! No! Please no. No, no, no!" she choked out, through her tears. " _Please._ Tell me this is a sick joke or something" she cried out, begging them to say that they had done this on Enzo's demands so she could yell at him, curse him and be angry with him but this couldn't be true. Enzo couldn't just be _gone!_

How could he be so cruel to leave her alone like this?

No. It had to be a lie. He would never leave her. He loved her. Just as she loved him. He _couldn't_ leave her like that.

When she received no answer from her parents, she turned her sadness and the creeping loneliness she felt into anger and frustration. How dare they keep this news from her?

"Get out" she said quietly, as sobs racked her body.

"Care- her mother tried but Caroline only lifted her head to scream at her.

" _GET OUT!"_ she shouted as loudly as she could and her voice cracked at the second word. "I hate you. I hate _all of you_! You took him from me and I will never forgive you for that" she kept repeating and let the miserable tears run down her face as her father sighed loudly and took her sobbing mother outside.

Once her parents were almost out of the room, Caroline picked up the vase by her side and threw it with as much force as possible, ignoring the pain in her arm. She only screamed in agony at the loneliness and despair she felt creeping inside of her.

Within a second, Klaus was by her side and pulling her in his arms. He ignored the way she tried to push her way and punched his chest with her fists and only held her tighter until she yielded to him and sobbed into his chest. "Nik, he's gone!" she wailed, still crying, as her tears stained his shirt but he ignored it and pressed a kiss into her hair, not knowing what to say. "He _can't_ be gone. Please" she begged him, wretchedly.

There was only one thing, he knew, though.

Caroline was never going to experience such pain, ever again. _Ever._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 _ **It feels like only yesterday that you left me all alone,**_ __ _ **  
**_ _ **I still now can't believe that you are forever gone.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **I keep on searching for you in the glimpses of our past;**_ __ _ **  
**_ _ **But the only thing I find is a basket full of sorrows that will forever last.**_

It should have been clear to everyone that Caroline didn't want to see them or talk to them, at least.

But it had the opposite effect. Every minute, someone would come barging into her hospital room, apologizing her to and crying in front of her, telling her how hard it was for _them._ As if losing her husband, wasn't hard enough for _her_.

In the end it was Klaus who understood her need to be alone and forced everyone outside. But apparently, he was out of his mind too.

"You're staying at my house"

" _What?"_ she asked, hoping she'd heard him wrong and turned to look at him.

He looked at her, unfazed by her question and suppressed his smile by biting the inside of his cheek. That was the first word Caroline had said to him, ever since she'd found out about Enzo's death. "I said you're staying at my house, sweetheart. The doctor just signed your discharge papers-" he started but was cut off by her.

"I know what you said. I just want to know how you _assumed_ that I'd stay at your house?" she asked harshly. Her voice was hoarse and clogged up because of the tears swarming in her eyes. "You didn't ask me. Just like you didn't ask me if I wanted to attend his- she took a deep breath at that time – _his funeral_ " she completed as her eyes blazed with anger and a wretched sadness.

At that moment, Klaus could easily see the heartbreak and vulnerability she was feeling. He had felt the same thing. _Once._

He sat down at the edge of her bed and picked up her hand in his, stroking it lightly with his thumb. "I _assumed_ so because I thought that after everything you would want to support your best friend. That maybe you would care enough for me to come with me" he said softly and he honestly didn't feel a bit ashamed for using the guilt trip to get her to listen to him. It was for her, own, benefit and he was done being the polite guy now.

 _Okay. That sounded weird even to his, own, ears._

He was not polite but he definitely tried to be, with Caroline.

And she had abused this as much as she could. She was risking her safety at every turn of life.

But now that he had seen her truly break down, he would never let it happen again.

He saw a look of realization pass through her eyes and she immediately looked towards him with sad eyes. "Nik, I- she stuttered out helplessly, unsure of what to say when she had only thought about how she was suffering so much herself and never even thought about how he must've felt.

After all he had lost his best friend too.

 _And you've lost your husband._ A sour voice from her subconscious rang in her ears.

At the end it's not the look on his face or the words he says that force her to agree. It's the thought of loneliness creeping into her. She's already lost one of her best friends and she's just not willing to lose the other. Ever.

"Sweetheart, I know you've suffered a great loss and you're hurting right now but you need to stay strong. You need to stay strong for the people around you. Everyone here cares a great deal about you. That is why as soon as they heard, they came here, leaving everything else" he told her even though the words left a bitter taste in his own mouth.

None of the people outside cared about her. Not enough anyway.

"You're strong, beautiful and _so_ full of light" he whispered pulling her close to him when he saw her hands shaking slightly as sobs shook her body. "This isn't an easy time. Bloody hell, it's horrifying but the only way you're going to get through this is if you keep yourself intact." He said, tenderly rubbing her back, as her tears wet his shirt.

"It's too soon" she said, shaking her head, as if she was almost refusing to believe that he was gone.

He nodded, resisting the overwhelming urge to shake her and tell her to go back to how she used to be. But he knew that she needed to mourn properly before she could move on with her life. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and squeezed his arms tighter around her, though, mindful about her sprained wrist and her broken leg.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Caroline pulled back and he let her. "Fine. I'll stay with you but I don't want to talk to them" she told him, in her no nonsense tone.

Klaus nodded, respecting her wishes. "I'll send the nurse to help you get ready" he said and quickly turned around to stop the victorious smile from creeping onto his face.

Just when he was moving towards the door, he felt something hit his back. It wasn't hard but it was irritating. When he turned around and saw a pillow lying at his feet, he raised his eyebrows and looked at Caroline who was glaring him, petulantly. "Stop smiling" she told him, which made him grin wider.

"Of course, sweetheart" he said, his voice teasing like he was making fun of her. He placed the pillow back on the bed and pinched her cheek like he used to when they were kids.

But unlike the last time, she didn't poke out her tongue at him or laugh or smile. She simply scowled for a moment before looking away. Klaus could almost sense her diving back into the memories of their teenage years where there used to be three of them.

 _Now they were only two._

He pressed his lips into a tight line before storming out of the room, mindful not to slam the door on his way out. Because that would definitely upset her and she didn't need to be any more upset now.

Moving in with Klaus seemed like a good decision to Caroline at first. But after just two weeks of living with him, she was almost regretting her decision.

Her decision to move in with him was mostly based on the fact that she wouldn't feel lonely in her own apartment. But she rarely ever saw Klaus which made her feel even more uncomfortable and out of place in his house.

He was always at his office or working in his study at home. She felt like he was avoiding her. He barely shared two sentences with her and avoided her like the plague.

She had a feeling that maybe it was because he was tired of keeping her around and she understood that obviously keeping her now must be a huge burden for anyone. Besides, her life was ruined. Not his. He still has his own life to live and enjoy and maybe she was becoming a problem for him.

So that was what prompted her to express her desire to go back home at dinner one night.

"I'm going back home tomorrow" she announced, keeping her head down focused on the soup in front of her. She only looked up from her bowl when she heard the clatter of the spoon.

Klaus dropped the spoon from his hand as soon as his mind registered the words she was saying. _She was leaving?_ He looked up at her, letting the shock and anger on his face show. "No" he said, shortly, gripping the knife laid out on the dining table tightly in his hand.

She frowned at his odd behavior. "I didn't ask you. I just told you" she said firmly, trying to put him in his place. She had let him dictate her life for the past two weeks because she was grieving but now it was over. "Besides, I think I've overstayed anyway" she muttered under her breath, trying not to sound bitter.

"How do you suppose you're going to do that?" he asked, genuinely interested in her answer. "You can't take care of yourself. _Bloody hell!_ You can barely walk on your own" he added, getting more frustrated with her by the second.

She jutted her chin, defiantly. "I can take care of myself, just fine, thank you" she expressed, stubbornly. "I'm not a kid, you know"

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her before standing up abruptly and walking over to her side. "Wha- she was unable to complete her sentence when he pulled her up by her arm, startling her. He let go of her arm and she stumbled unable to remain steady on her still broken leg.

" _Ouch!"_ she yelped loudly as her leg bent once again and she almost fell down before his arm came and wrapped around her waist, holding her steady against him.

"That's how well you can take care of yourself" he stated, not one bit intimidated by her glare or the slight moisture in her eyes. "Do I need to elaborate more on why you're going to stay here?" he questioned, daring her to say yes so he could teach her the lesson of her life.

 _Stubborn girl,_ he thought.

 _Arrogant douche bag,_ she thought.

He helped her back into her seat but she pulled her arm away from his grasp harshly trying to convey how upset she was by his way of _elaboration._ What if she'd gotten really hurt?

As if reading her thoughts, his gaze softened and he bent down in front of her chair and looked straight into her eyes. "You know I would've never let you really get hurt" he said in his low voice, looking at her intently.

She internally groaned. How could he ignore his damn puppy eyes and that _damn_ accent of his when he was looking at her like _that_?

"Alright, fine. But I still can't stay here" she argued, less violently.

He frowned. "Why ever not?" he asked, perplexed. He thought she had been living here comfortably and he had even made himself scarce in his own penthouse, trying to give her space. He'd hired two full time nurses to ensure her comfort and had even made sure to settle her up in his own master bedroom with the most comfortable bedding and an amazing view as well.

"Does something bother you? Are you not comfortable enough here? Is the room not to your liking?" He asked worriedly, already thinking of adding another nurse to look after her and maybe get her one of those fancy orthopedic mattresses so she could rest easily.

Caroline shook her head and bit her lip, unsure of how to tell him.

He must have sensed her discomfort because he raised his hand and caressed her cheek before moving it to tuck some stray hair behind her ear, tenderly. "What is it, sweetheart? You know you don't have to hide anything from me." He offered gently, running his fingers up and down her earlobe.

She sighed, pleasurably by his ministrations before looking down at her knotted fingers. "I know you're avoiding me and I've become a fulltime burden for you" she said, all too quickly before slowing down. "I mean you don't come home because of me. That's a pretty obvious sign for me to go somewhere else" she stated, covering her embarrassment with a nervous chuckle. But the growing blush on her cheeks was too obvious to be ignored.

"Caroline" Klaus said, baffled. "You're not a… _a burden_. You're my responsibility, love and one I'm more than happy to take care of" he said, trying to conceal his laughter at which she looked up at him confused. "As far as, my absence goes, I'm sorry for that. But honestly, I've been keeping myself away only to give you space and time to recover- he was cut off by her.

"I don't need to recover alone" she cut in and then went silent. "I agreed to move in with you, not because I wanted someone to take care of me but, because I _needed_ my best friend to be with me" she explained. She sniffed lightly before saying the next words. "One of the most important men in my life is gone" she said and her voice quivered and her grip on the tablecloth increased. " _But_ I _need_ to be sure that the other isn't. I need to know that you're here. That someone's here"

By the time she had finished her sentence, Klaus had his arms wrapped around her tight and she was already losing herself. She sobbed into his chest again, not caring how pathetic she looked. Because she knew, he was Nik. He would never judge or mock her.

He would just support her.

 _ **Time flew on wings since the last time I saw you,**_ __ _ **  
**_ _ **Nothing in this world matters to me like the way you do.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Holding your hands; I wanted to walk the whole world with you**_ _ **  
**_ _ **But my wish remained unfulfilled, as you left me in the middle of the road saying, 'I Don't Love You'.**_

"Shh! I'm here" he whispered into her ear soothingly, repeatedly pressing kisses to her head. Without another word, he gently swept her off her feet and picked her up in his arms, mindful of her leg. Automatically, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him, pressing herself tighter against him, taking the momentary comfort his embrace provided.

He lightly kicked open the door to the master bed and deposited her on the bed, motioning for the nurse to get out. As he placed her on the bed, she still grasped his shirt into her fists. He sat down right next to her at the edge of the bed and stroked her hair. "It's alright, sweetheart. I'm right here. _Shh!_ " he cooed her, running his fingers gently through her hair.

"It's _too much_ Nik. I can't. I just _can't_." she cried out, waving her arms around wildly as she wailed loudly. Klaus held her arms and caught them in between his own, rocking her body slightly. "I can't sleep. I can't eat. I can't do anything without him coming to my mind. It's not fair. He shouldn't have been the one to go" she kept crying desperately as her body shook in his arms. "I wanted to go to the dinner. He was so tired and he didn't want to go. But _I_ told him to take me!" she almost shouted out. "It was all my fault. It should've been me!" she yelled loudly, her voice going raw and laced with anguish as she tried to hit herself.

To hurt herself. _Physically._ So that she could feel _something_. Something other than guilt and grief.

Klaus froze only for the slightest moment, feeling the rage overtake him when he heard her blame herself and then hope that she had died instead of him.

If that had been the case, he was sure Enzo would've been dead anyway.

 _By his hand, most probably._

He grasped Caroline's face in his hand and turned her gaze towards his own face. "Listen to me Caroline Margaret Forbes" he said, sternly. "This is the first _and the_ _last_ time you've said or _even thought_ such bullshit. Enzo's death was **not** fault and I will not have you thinking otherwise. It was his time to go. Just like one day it will be time for Elena, Bonnie or myself to go. And if- he corrected himself – and when it does happen, you are going to be strong because no matter where we are, we'll be watching you" he explained. His tone going from angry and stern to gentle and compassionate. "He's watching you and I doubt he would've _ever_ wanted you to be like this. Imagine the pain he must be going through, watching you fall apart" he told her and felt relief sweep over him as she calmed down just a bit but the tears didn't stop.

"If not for me, please calm down for him"

He hated saying that but it actually worked which made him depressed and relieved at the same time.

 _She cared more for Enzo, than she did for him._

"Please stay with me, Nik" her soft murmur pulled him out of his bitter thoughts and he looked down to see her gazing up at him with her adorable, wet big blue eyes, red nose, pink cheeks and such kissable, swollen lips. He bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead and nodded.

" _Sleep"_ he said, simply leaning against the headboard as he pulled himself into the bed. She instantly curled up to his side and placed her head on his chest tentatively. Soon, he felt all tension ease away her body and she relaxed next to him, placing her hand on his torso.

A few minutes of tantalizing silence passed before Klaus looked down to find her sleeping. Light puffs of her breath fanning across his neck and face.

In that moment, he found that suddenly he wasn't tired anymore and all traces of sleep vanished from his body. He lay still, awake and tried to collect his bearings. He couldn't believe that Enzo's death would've ever devastated her to point that she would wish for death on herself.

And just the thought of her _gone,_ gave him goose bumps. No. It was not allowed. Maybe she would hate him forever for it but he had to do it. If only to save her. He would have to talk to Rebekah in the morning. But till then, he had the night to enjoy with Caroline in his arms.

Rebekah hid the annoyance she felt by stretching a fake smile on her face. She absolutely hated how little Liz Forbes actually knew Caroline. The older woman had been going on for _hours_ about how Caroline would move on with her life now without anyone to support her.

Of course, Rebekah's automated response had been, " _You have nothing to worry about. She has Nik"_

While Liz had smiled gratefully, Rebekah knew that the seed she was planting was being buried deeper and deeper into the other woman's mind. After the thumps up she had received from her brother Klaus, she literally had no one in her way now.

She wouldn't rest until Klaus and Caroline were together and one.

"You know, Caroline's still really young. She could get married again" Rebekah suggested cunningly as she sipped on her tea whilst sitting in the Forbes' sunroom. "She could settle down again. Maybe with someone from a more… _stable_ background" she added with a small smile.

Liz nodded. "You're right but you know Caroline and you know how stubborn she is. She'll never agree to something like this" she said with a sad sigh.

Rebekah carefully placed the saucer and teacup back down on the table and licked her lips. "She's your daughter. I'm sure you know that there's times when you need to do the right thing for her. Even if she doesn't agree" she said carefully. "You're her mother, after all. You wouldn't do anything against her welfare" she reassured her easily.

Liz looked at Rebekah with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean _exactly?"_ she asked, cautiously hoping that what she was thinking wasn't wrong.

The younger blonde gave an elegant shrug. "I mean nothing but Caroline and Nik's happiness" she replied confidently.

Liz' eyes widened. "I don't think you- she was cut off by Rebekah.

"No. You don't understand. I've seen how much my brother adores Caroline and how much she depends on him" she pointed out, coolly. "They are both made for each other" she gushed with a shine in her eyes as she imagined her brother with his teenage love.

"They don't love each other" Liz argued, weakly.

Rebekah waved her hand dismissively. "But they care for she other deeply" she elaborated, quickly. "Besides, I can guarantee you that Caroline does have feelings for my brother" she piped in sneakily. "She'd confided in me herself" she added as proof and it was true to some extent. In their teen years, Caroline had once admitted to her that she had a crush on her brother.

"What about Klaus, though?" came a heavy yet tired voice from the doorway.

Both ladies turned to look at Bill Forbes standing there. From the looks of it, he had come straight from office.

"Bill, what are you doing back so early?" Liz questioned, a bit startled by him being home so soon.

But he ignored her and went straight towards Rebekah who gave a serious look, without any amusement. "Do you think Klaus will ever love her?" he asked again, looking directly at Rebekah.

"…With time. He will" Rebekah assured him confidently, stopping herself from dancing in victory. These people were so easy to manipulate.

With that Bill sighed in relief before dropping down on the couch next to his wife. "Give it a little time. We'll convince Caroline" he replied firmly giving his wife a warning glare when she tried to interfere.

"I'll talk to Elijah and he'll convince Nik" she lied expertly, knowing she only had to report back to one brother and that wasn't Elijah. It was the man in question. Nik, himself.

With that said, she stood up and grabbed her bag before heading to the door. "I'll see myself out" she said, urging them to relax. Just as she was about to leave, she turned to the worried parents. "My brother will take care of Caroline more than anyone else. I can guarantee you that much" she assured them a little tenderly, understanding that they must be worried about their only daughter.

"Thank you Rebekah" Liz said, equally softly with tears in her eyes.

The younger blonde nodded once before walking out. As soon as she was out of the house, she felt a sudden stab of guilt in her heart for tricking the mourning parents but she knew none of her words were a lie. Caroline would be happy with her brother. With time she would learn to love Klaus and he would lay the world at her feet, in return.

In the end, she knew that this would make her brother happy so she lifted her head, wore her sunglasses and walked to her car.

As soon as she was seated in her white Audi r8 spyder, she plucked her phone out of her purse and typed a quick message.

 _It's done. Now only your and her parents' part is left._

Without a second glance, she dialed a familiar number and breathed in deeply when she heard the other person pick up the line. "Rebekah" came a calm reply. "How can I help you?"

"Elijah" she greeted back, slightly nervous. "Are you at the office?" she asked curiously.

She could imagine him rolling his eyes and pulling his tie. "It _is_ ten in the morning and unlike our beloved brother Niklaus I do prefer showing my face in the office every now and then"

"Your sarcasm really is refreshing 'Lijah" she replied dryly. "I need to talk to you. It's regarding Nik and Caroline" she said seriously and the line went silent.

There was shuffling on the other side of the line before her brother's immediate reply came through. "Meet me in my office in an hour" he told her firmly. "And drive carefully" he said, before the line went silent.

She placed her phone back into her clutch and shifted the gear into reverse before speeding out of the Forbes' household.

When Klaus woke up, he felt an unusual weight on his chest. But he also felt warm and so _wonderful._ He squinted his eyes and looked to his bedside to see what time it was. He almost flew out of bed when he saw it was almost ten o clock in the morning.

He had never slept so long.

He looked down to see Caroline still sleeping, peacefully, and contently tangled up with his body. Half of her body was resting on his with her head buried in his neck and her arms thrown over his torso. Even her legs were tangled with his.

He remained still when his mind flew to her injured leg. What if he moved and caused her pain?

But a small part of his mind knew that it was more of than excuse than anything. He _enjoyed_ being tangled up with her.

He imagined his life being like this every day and he found that he looked forward that possibility. To be honest, he felt _excited_ for such a chance.

He stayed still and buried his nose in her thick, blonde hair inhaling her scent. It calmed him to the extent of delirium.

The ring of a text message brought him out of his thoughts and he quickly switched his phone in silent so Caroline would remain undisturbed. He opened the text and a smile automatically grew on his face.

His sister really was the best.

He smiled and looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. All the things he was willing to do to have her by his side.

He lightly nudged her, not to startle her. "Sweetheart" he cooed in her ear, softly. "It's time to get up" he said, shaking her lightly.

She groaned and tightened her arms around him.

He chuckled quietly at her antics and suppressed the urge to snap a picture of her. "It's time for you to have some breakfast and then you have to take your medicine" he was surprised any one of the nurses hadn't even woken them up yet.

Then again, he had sent them away, himself.

"Go away" she mumbled in her sleep.

"I can't when you have yourself wrapped up around me, love" he quipped teasingly and watched as she cracked an eye open to look at him and then back at their position before she yawned and pulled herself into an upright position.

Her cheeks blushed bright red and she coughed uncomfortably as she moved away from him slightly.

"Good morning, sweetheart" he said softly and unable to help himself, he reached out and tucked a stray lock behind her ear. "How did you sleep?" he asked, curiously. _Because he had slept the best he had in a long time._

"Very good, actually" she murmured sheepishly. "For the first time, I didn't dream of him, Nik" she said turning to Klaus with a sad smile on her face.

He gave her a tight lipped smile in return before stroking her cheek with his thumb lightly. "It'll lessen with time" he told her. "The pain" he elaborated.

"I hope so" she said quietly before looking away as she felt the tears building in her eyes.

Klaus sighed before standing up from the bed and grabbing his cell phone from the nightstand. "I'll tell the housekeeper to get some breakfast ready so the nurse can give you your medicine and then- he was speaking when she cut him off.

"Can you take me to him, today?" she asked in a small voice, peering up at him with pleading eyes. "Please" she added, her eyes blinking rapidly as she tried to control her tears.

Klaus clenched his fists but nodded. "And then you go to visit your parents?" he asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

She frowned but nodded. "Fine. I'll go" she agreed, begrudgingly.

He refrained from saying good girl knowing it would set her off like a ticking time bomb. Instead he walked out of the room, determined to do just as he had promised.

After all, accepting your loved ones' death was the first step to moving on and he had every intention of helping Caroline move on.

 _ **I am still trying to figure out the reason behind your actions,**_ __ _ **  
**_ _ **With a smile on your face, you broke my heart into fractions.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **I promise to myself that I will break free of this chain**_ _ **  
**_ _ **And will win over this war, no matter how much it pains.**_ __


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Caroline always thought that saying goodbye would be hard. That she wouldn't be able to do it. But it had been surprisingly easy.

Moreover, it finally gave her a little peace of mind.

She walked into the cemetery as slowly as she could and Klaus let her. She couldn't walk on her own just yet so he had wrapped his arm around her waist, helping her walk into the ground after she had refused to let him wheelchair her. She didn't want to feel like anymore of a burden than she already was.

The cemetery was actually very beautiful and quite peaceful.

But as she neared his tombstone, though, she found it harder to breathe. She clung to Klaus, desperate for his support, as if his hold was the only thing anchoring her to the ground and to the realm of reality.

They stopped once they were standing right in front of the tombstone. Caroline quickly dropped to her knees as her eyes focused on the inscription on the grey piece of stone.

 _RIP Enzo Augustine._

 _3_ _rd_ _of June 1989- 10_ _th_ _of September 2015_

 _Beloved brother, husband and friend, taken too soon._

 _You will be missed._

It almost seemed pitiful to her to see such a _… gloomy_ stone representing the life of her husband who was an energetic and glowing person his whole life. Even in his weakest moments, he had always tried to remain optimistic and cheerful. Not only for his sake but also for hers.

She let out a watery chuckle as she raised her hand and touched the grey tombstone, running her fingers over the cursive inscription.

 _Caroline heard the doorbell and rolled her eyes, stomping her feet more stubbornly against the coffee table as she refused to move and kept glaring ahead at the blank TV screen. Beside her, Klaus suppressed his smile (while she suppressed her urge to smack him across his face) and walked to the door of her home where Enzo was banging the door, repeatedly._

 _He rolled his eyes at the other Brit and opened the door. He stepped back to let his friend in._

" _What happened? I got your text. Is she alright?" Enzo asked breathlessly, the worry in his voice irking Klaus in the wrong way._

 _Klaus calmly closed the door behind him all the while mimicking Enzo wordlessly when the dark haired guy couldn't see him. "She's alright. She just got a B in history" he informed him and watched as his friend's face transformed from worry to disbelief._

" _And_ that's _why she's missed the rest of the classes today?" he questioned, shocked._

 _Klaus smiled tightly. "And sulked around, staring at the blank television screen- he was cut off by Enzo suddenly grabbing his arm._

" _What did you score?" he asked, curiously._

 _Klaus smirked, smugly and removed Enzo's hand off his arm brushing his jacket. "An A+" he replied, haughtily._

 _Enzo gaped. "And you didn't bother to help us?" he asked in an accusatory manner._

 _The Blonde Brit, however, shrugged. "You two wanted to study together" he reminded him, almost bitterly. "Without me" he added snidely._

 _Enzo rolled his eyes. "Grow up Mikaelson. You weren't even serious about it" he remarked, shaking his head and walking towards the living room while dropped his bag on the floor._

 _Klaus followed him in and slumped down on the armchair in the corner of the room, casually. Enzo, however, walked over to Caroline and sat next to her watching as she stared at Klaus' paper as though it had personally offended her. "Gorgeous" he said, tentatively in form of greeting._

" _I got a B, Enzo" she said, straight into dread mode. "A B!?" she screeched, panicked. "My life is over! I am over. There's nothing left for me now!" she concluded dramatically waving her hands around._

 _Klaus chuckled silently at her words but let her carry on. The only way she was going to calm down was to get over her frustration._

" _Calm down gorgeous. It's just one paper- he tried but she turned and gave him her meanest glare._

 _The look she gave him would've killed anyone else on the spot but he was used to that look being directed his way whenever he said the wrong thing at the wrong time in her presence so it only made him gulp. "One paper Enzo?! I worked on this for weeks" she told him, as if he didn't know._

 _He had been there, working with her, for the past few weeks too._

" _I know darling but there's nothing we can do now. Besides at least you got a B" he tried cheering her up. "You can get it better by giving Mr. Saltzman an additional essay. I got a C" he said, shrugging._

 _Caroline looked at Klaus and then back at Enzo. "You got a C?" she asked softly for the first time, showing her sympathetic side for the first time that day. Enzo shrugged. "I'm so sorry Enzo" she said, shaking her head. "Mr. Saltzman is gone crazy. I mean- she stammered out, unsure of what to say._

" _Contrary to what you think, love, I think this is the first time he's actually given out grades the right way" Klaus joked in, teasingly._

" _Show off" she muttered under her breath._

" _Come on, gorgeous! Cheer up" Enzo said, throwing his arm around her. "If anything, you're grade's a sign" he pointed out, cheekily. "Be positive" he said with a wink that made Caroline lips twist upwards before she burst into laughter._

"This seems so unfair" Caroline murmured quietly, coming out of her past memories. Because she knew she couldn't keep on living like that. She couldn't let herself suffer every day.

"It is" Klaus agreed as he looked down at his friend's grave and for the first time, he felt true sadness. Caroline being there reminded her of all the times that Enzo had actually been there for him. He'd always been the selfish bastard in the group _but_ Enzo, had always been the caring guy trying to look out for the both of them.

He could still remember when he'd been in his lashing out phase and had started a fight in school with the jocks.

 _Klaus knew he was going to be pulped to death today but that didn't mean he was going to back down without giving them his best._

 _Just as he swung his fist at the bulky jock in front of him, he felt the other two grab him from behind. The boy in front of him touched his nose and almost fainted seeing the blood. "You little prick!" he snarled before moving forward to take a hit at him._

 _But only he never felt it._

 _Klaus opened his eyes and looked up to see Enzo pushing up the jock against the lockers. "Back off mate" Enzo said, quite peacefully. "There's no need to create a scene" he said and looked back at Klaus. "You okay Mikaelson?" he asked, looking for any sign of an injury._

" _I don't need your help. I think I can manage on my own" Klaus growled back, shrugging both the jocks' hands off him._

 _Enzo rolled his eyes. Of course, he would say that. But he wasn't going to leave Klaus on his own. "I can see that" he remarked snidely before turning to the boy in his arms. "Now if I let you go, are you going to go after my friend?" Enzo asked, tentatively._

 _The jock growled, pushing Enzo off. "I'm going to kill you both" he said before charging towards Enzo who rolled his eyes and turned to Klaus. "We're so going to get detention for this" he muttered before dodging the jock's punch and attacking back while Klaus dealt with the rest of the two boys._

 _They both kept hitting the jocks, trying to protect themselves until they had gathered quite the crowd around them. Just as Klaus let go of the boys and leant against the locker, touching his swollen lip to find it bleeding, people from the crowd were pushed away and the vice principal made her way to the center of the attention._

 _She gasped. "What is going on here?" she asked, sternly looking around as if there wasn't enough evidence that a brawl had taken place. "I will_ _ **not**_ _tolerate such behavior in my school. To the Principal's office" she scolded sternly. "NOW!"_

 _Both the Brits rolled their eyes but started to make their way towards the Principal's, office who, would no doubt let them go with a warning just because of Klaus' family name and Enzo's otherwise great track record._

" _You didn't have to drag yourself in this" Klaus commented as he calmed down a little._

 _Enzo shrugged. "I couldn't have let them bruise such a pretty face. Now could I?" he joked referring to Klaus' face and nudged his friend. "I'd always be there to clean their messes Mikaelson so you better get used to them" he added with a small smirk before knocking on the Principal's office and heading inside. "I've got this" he muttered before shutting the door on Klaus' face to take the blame on, himself._

Even though, they'd been friends before that but that day had strengthened their friendship to the bond of family. _Brothers._

From that day onwards, Klaus had tried to be as much as a support to Enzo as Enzo had been to him. He knew obviously that the best he could do was help Enzo with his financial situation so he did that as often and as discreetly as he could.

Because one thing that Enzo and Caroline, both, did not appreciate were handouts. When Klaus had openly offered Enzo a job at his own firm, the Brit had declined and refused to take the job even though he was at the edge of losing his own apartment.

That day, Klaus had taken it to discreetly helping Enzo. The job that Enzo had doing had been given to him because of Klaus' undisclosed recommendation.

He'd also told the proprietor of Enzo's apartment never to bother Enzo or Caroline about the increase in the rent. He'd been paying a part of the rent himself telling the landlord to not mention that fact to the oblivious couple and to tell them that the rent was less.

"I can't believe I won't ever see him again" Caroline's sob broke him out of his thoughts. "I… I don't know how I'm going to live without him" she confessed, wretchedly. "Nik, he's gone" she admitted brokenly.

Klaus sat down next to her on the ground and looked at the inscription on the tombstone like her. "He's gone but all we can hope for is that he's gone to a better place and that wherever he is, he's happy" he reassured her, meaning every word he was saying. "And you'll continue to live on without him because you know he would've wanted you to move on and to be happy while doing so" he answered her, putting his arm around her shoulder and helping her lean her head on his shoulder.

"If he would have been here, he would've totally called you an emotional sap" Caroline joked through her tears which made Klaus laugh a little too. "I'll miss him too much" she confessed after minutes of silence.

"So will, I" Klaus muttered, truthfully, as he laid the single white rose in his hand on his best friend's grave. "I'll round up the car and then we can leave, if you're ready" he offered as he stood up and brushed the leaves off his clothes.

Caroline gave him a small smile and nodded, accepting the few lonely minutes she was getting with her late husband.

Once Klaus was out of sight, Caroline moved forward and placed a kiss on the tombstone. "I'm so sorry Enzo. I'm sorry I never gave you enough. I'm sorry that I never loved you enough and I'm sorry that you lost your life while going to a stupid dinner that I forced you to" she listed off as tears freely flowed down her cheeks. "I love you so much" she said, wiping the tears on her face with the back of her hand.

"I promise I'll never forget you" she vowed firmly, running her hand over the space clearing the fallen autumn leaves and placing another white rose on his grave. "Good bye" she murmured quietly, before helping herself up with the support of the tombstone.

Ten minutes passed since they had exited the graveyard but they both remained silent. However, Klaus could see a hint of the old Caroline after so many weeks. Ten minutes into their journey, she'd started fiddling with the dial of the music player of his sleek, black Jaguar XJ.

"What are you hoping to find on this, love?" he questioned thoroughly amused by her fidgeting.

She huffed in annoyance before turning to him in her seat, rolling her eyes as the seatbelt tried to restrict her back into her seat. "What am I going to say to my parents?" she asked, sitting back in her seat when she was briefly flashed back to her _last_ accident. "They lied to me" she added, bitterly.

Sensing her discomfort, Klaus parked the car to the side of the road and placed his hand on her knee, reassuringly. "I know that they lied to you but they did it only for your good. You have got to see and realize how hard it was for them too, to lie to you" he tried to comfort her but the look she gave him had him rethinking his words.

"They lied to me about Enzo's death" she growled, pushing herself away from his touch as if he had personally offended her. "What if Elijah, Kol and Rebekah did the same to you if I had died?" she spat out, which threw him off balance for a moment before he regained his senses and clamped his hand over her mouth, impulsively.

"Don't say something like that!" he warned her, firmly and even Caroline knew not to mess with him at that stage so she gently pried his fingers off her face and shook her head. "Caroline, nothing's going to happen to you and I don't want you talking like that. _Ever"_ he reprimanded, tightly.

When he received no response from her, he pressed on again clenching his hand around the steering wheel, staring ahead. "Are we _clear_ on this, sweetheart?" he asked with strain in his taut voice.

"Yes" Caroline accepted, defeated.

Breathing in and out a couple of times, Klaus tried to calm himself down. "We'll leave as soon as you want. I promise but the only way they were willing to let you stay at my house was if I would promise to bring you, by" he told her and took her hand in his. He brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles, reassuringly.

"How am I supposed to forgive them for this?" she questioned, confused. "I can't. Okay? Not now. Not ever" she denied, shaking her head.

Klaus shrugged. "Then don't. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to" he promised her, firmly. "Just talk to them, let them know you're alright and happy living with me so that they're not always worrying about you." he fed her, knowing that if she said the exact same things, half of his work would be done.

"Fine. But we leave as soon as we can. I don't care if you have to make a ' _work-related'_ excuse or lie, just do it" she told him, pointing her finger at him to which he smirked and nodded.

"Let's be on our way then, sweetheart" he concluded before revving up the car and driving off.

As expected when they reached the Forbes' household, Caroline's parents had been overjoyed and (as per Klaus' expectation) they'd been delighted to see the two of them together.

"Thank you so much Klaus for bringing her around" Bill said to Klaus as the ladies settled in the parlor. "I don't think I can ever repay you for helping us. For helping her" he expressed his gratitude, tears springing to his eyes.

The blonde restrained an eye roll and patted Bill on his back. "Of course. Anything for Caroline" he said, looking over to the girl in question as she sat in her own living room uncomfortable as hell. "We should probably join them…" he said, looking at Caroline who was sitting awkwardly trying not to cringe as her mother patted her hair.

"Actually, I wanted to speak with you alone. If that's alright?" Bill asked politely and Klaus suppressed a smile at that and nodded dutifully. "Follow me to my study, please" he said, leading Klaus towards his private study.

Klaus crossed his arms behind his back and walked to the room away from the living room, barely catching Caroline's curious gaze. He smirked as he settled on the chair across his _future father-in-law_ and saw the older man fill two crystal glasses with bourbon and offer one to him. He shook his head, declining his offer and watched as the older man drained one glass first and then settled for the other.

"Is everything alright?" Klaus asked, playing the oblivious guy. "You seem stressed" he commented truthfully if the wrinkles and dark circles on the older man's face were any indication.

Bill sighed. "Klaus you know better than anyone that all I've ever wanted is the best for Caroline" he started tiredly and Klaus had to resist the urge to snort. If he had wanted the best for Caroline, he would've never let her marry Enzo. "Life has a way of being particularly cruel to her" he remarked sadly and Klaus had to agree with that. With what she deserved, Caroline had gotten nothing from life.

"But I think for once Enzo's death has provided a great opportunity for her"

Bill's words made Klaus look up in shock and surprise. He would've never thought Bill to be so… _crude_.

"I beg your pardon?" Klaus said, sternly, feeling rather conflicted about Bill's words. It felt like he was happy about Enzo's death.

The older man, sensing his mistake, held his hands up in a placating manner. "Don't take this the wrong way Klaus" he said, shaking his head. "Enzo loved Caroline but we all know that love isn't enough in this world and to be honest, he was the constant blockage in her life, stopping her from being great" he explained very seriously and Klaus could agree with him in some way but the way the words poured out of his mouth seemed so hurtful and disrespectful towards his late friend.

"Bill I suggest you choose your next words really carefully…" Klaus warned, not knowing why he was suddenly not okay with someone saying such things about Enzo. He had thought the same very things many times himself but seeing someone else say such … _horrible_ thing about Enzo made his blood boil.

Bill sighed, loudly. "I don't think I can get my meaning across to you like this… I understand that you're still grieving" he said, shaking his head. "I'll just talk to Elijah about it. I'm sure he'll be able to _explain_ things better" he concluded before standing up. "But please Klaus. Just take care of her" he said, pleadingly.

Klaus stood up. "Whatever you have to say, you can say it to me" he said, firmly. "Just leave out the part where you disrespect my dead friend" he added, snidely, unable to help himself.

"Whatever I have left is Caroline's. _Everything_ I have left is Caroline's." Bill told him, as if money would change Klaus' mind. "She needs support right now. She needs _someone._ She's still young and has her whole life ahead of her" Bill started, worried for his only daughter. "I want you to, not only, be the one to help her through her grief but also through the rest of her life" he suddenly said in a very anxious and demanding tone. "I want you to marry her" he let out and turned his back to Klaus who let the wide grin spread on his face.

Caroline nervously chewed her bottom lip and tapped her foot impatiently against the hardwood floor.

"Are you okay Caroline?" Elena asked nervously as she looked over at her friend sympathetically. Elena and Bonnie had come over right away after Liz had called them, telling them that Caroline was at home.

Caroline looked up at her friend and hated the look of pity on her friend's face. _Such a friend that she hid your husband's death from you,_ her subconscious remarked _._ "My husband died on his way to a dinner that I was forcing him to attend and then I didn't get to attend his funeral because my _so-called_ friends and family didn't deem it appropriate for my health but other than that I'm perfectly okay" she replied, sarcastically and she reveled in the look of guilt on her friends' and mother's faces.

Good. They deserved to feel horrible after what they'd done to her _and_ Enzo.

"Care- Bonnie started but the blonde cut her off.

"Save it Bon" she snapped harshly, not wanting to hear their excuses. "I didn't come here because I wanted to talk to you or meet you all. I only came here because Nik insisted. Clearly it was a mistake" she said, shaking her head.

Elena and Liz gaped at the harshness in Caroline's tone. They were never on the end of Caroline's callousness. Bonnie, however, was less than impressed and crossed her arms over her chest. "What about Klaus? He was there with us. He could've told you too" she countered, offended.

Caroline blinked. "I forgave him because he didn't know" she said, sternly, her eyes filling with tears.

Elena frowned. "He knew- she was cut off when Caroline spoke again.

"He didn't know that Enzo and I were planning to have a baby" she spoke through gritted teeth.

Just as the words left her mouth, she looked up to see Klaus standing in the doorway with his mouth agape and his eyes wide like saucers.

She didn't even look at her friends' or her parents' expressions to see them looking slightly worried but mostly guilty. She could only focus on the look of betrayal on her best friend's face.

" _Klaus_ \- she stood up wanting to explain her situation but he barely heard her words and reassurances before he turned around and stormed out of the house.

Without a word, she ran behind him, following him outside to find him striding towards his car. "Nik" she called out, trying to stop him but he didn't even stop for a minute. "Please just hear me out" she said desperate to explain herself.

He quickly turned around and faced her with a stern expression on his face. "I think I've heard enough for one day" he ground out, seething in anger.

"You need to listen to me" she said, moving to him tentatively, trying to catch her breath.

Klaus took a menacing step closer to her. "I don't _need_ anything" he growled out. When he saw the look of hesitance and terror on her face, he forced himself to breathe and calm down. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, trying to remain calm.

Caroline shook her head and wringed her fingers together. "I swear Nik, I wanted to but…" she trailed off, unsure how to tell him. "Elena and Bonnie only knew because when I asked Katherine to get the test, they were with her" she explained and that was another blow to him.

"So let me get this straight. Katherine, Bonnie, Elena, your parents knew about … about your condition but you didn't think it was necessary to tell me" he spelled it out for her, feeling so much betrayal and hurt at once.

"I'm not" she clarified quickly, reaching out to grab his hand. He didn't flinch but he didn't encourage her touch either. "I'm not pregnant. We were trying for a while but… it just didn't happen" she trailed off again, sadly.

Klaus remained silent for some time and while the silence was killing her, it was proving as a moment of respite for him. "You still haven't told me why?" he asked, tightly.

"Enzo didn't want me to tell anyone. He… _We_ wanted to be sure first" she told him, stammering slightly. "I'm sorry Nik- she started but Klaus cut her off.

He shook his head and immediately took her into his arms. "It's alright. It's no big deal" he said, holding her close, burying his nose in her hair. This news felt like a punch to his carefully laid out plans. He'd always thought that even after Enzo and Caroline's marriage, she'd _somehow_ come back to him in the end. But right now he realized that if Enzo hadn't died, she would've ultimately gotten pregnant and he would've lost Caroline forever.

So Bill was right.

 _Enzo dying was the best thing._

But not only for Caroline, also for him.

"I'm sorry, Nik" Caroline mumbled against his shirt but he shushed her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, unwilling to lose her.

"It's alright, sweetheart" he said, calmly and led her towards the car. He kept her firmly tucked into his side until he reached and helped her into the car. "Is your leg hurting?" he asked, knowing that she'd run after him, regardless of her hurt leg.

She gave him a small smile and a nod. "It's okay" she said, nervously chewing her bottom lip. "Are you sure you're not mad at me?" she asked, dubiously.

Klaus gave her a small smirk in return. "You know, I could never be angry at you, love" he told her with a wink and bent to place a chaste kiss against her cheek which lasted more than strictly normal. "Just don't lie to me. _Ever again._ " He whispered against her lips. His lips weren't necessarily touching hers but she could feel his breath on her.

Stunned, Caroline nodded wordlessly.

It wasn't until Klaus got into the car that she noticed that she'd been staring right at the spot he'd been. "Are you alright, sweetheart? You seem a bit frazzled" Klaus remarked sarcastically as he drove away from her house.

Not far from them, the Forbes' couple noticed their daughter and their future son-in-law together and let out a small sigh and smile of relief. Maybe Klaus was an asshole, maybe he was rude and uncourteous but he cared for their daughter more than anyone in the world and that was enough for them.

"Did you talk to him about it?" Liz asked, anxious for an answer. When her husband nodded, she pressed on impatiently. "Well, what did he say?" she asked, almost buzzing with excitement.

Bill sighed. "He said yes. He's agreed to marry Caroline but, like I thought, he doesn't want our money or anything at all. He said he just wants to marry Caroline and keep her happy" he told her with a hint of pride and awe that he had found such a match for his daughter.

Liz smiled at that and clapped her hands together. "Oh that's wonderful" she said, wiping her tears of joy but then she stopped as another thought came to her. "But right now, he just heard her… about Enzo and Caroline's baby… Will his answer still remain the same?" Liz wondered worriedly.

Bill nodded with a slight smirk on his face. "Oh his answer will definitely be a yes." He reassured his wife knowing how much Klaus loved his daughter. He had seen it in his eyes and he knew love when he saw it. "Let's just hope we can convince Caroline soon. I don't want this delayed anymore" he said, shifting back to his authoritative mode.

"I just hope he can keep her happy" Liz prayed out loud, smiling for her daughter.

When Elijah had met up with Rebekah and heard her idea about Caroline's marriage with Klaus, he had thought that Rebekah had maybe had too many drinks that day but when Caroline's father had invited him over for tea and told him the same thing, he was sure of one thing.

They were all mad.

Who else in their right mind would suggest the marriage of a barely month old widow and that too, to her best friend. It was all insane.

He was determined to make everyone understand and he knew that it would be best to go directly to the source of the problem.

That is why he was on his way to Klaus' penthouse, waiting as the numbers of the elevator ascended.

Just as he stepped out of the elevator he straightened his suit and walked inside, frowning when he heard sounds of relentless laughter coming from the living room and kitchen. Quietly, he walked over there and saw a sight that froze him.

It was his brother and Caroline.

Both of them laughing and smiling.

It was seeing his brother so carefree and happy, that had him smiling too.

"Klaus I'm serious if you throw anymore flour on me, I'm going to fork you to death" Caroline's threat rang out but it was met with Klaus' lighthearted laughter.

"Go on, love" Klaus playfully challenged her. "I'd like to see you try"

Not wanting to intrude of their bubble of blissfulness, Elijah stepped back and walked straight into the elevator going back down. As he came out of the building and headed into the parking lot, he couldn't help but think back to the smile on his brother's face.

He knew that Klaus was … _fond_ of Caroline but he never knew the extent of those feelings. Till now.

And now that he did, he was going to make sure that his brother would get what he wanted. And if Caroline Forbes was what his brother wanted then, she would be his by the end of the month.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **A/N: Hi guys! So, this update's a bit slower and has less events but it got out quicker and with a little purpose. I just wanted to clear out the air that right now we're venturing mainly into Klaus' POV so we won't really get to know what's going on in Caroline's head but in the chapters ahead, we will.  
Right now this will be more of Klaus.  
As for Klaus being too lovesick, well that will change. He'll always love Caroline but his love is tough love. So…  
Enough spoilers. Enjoy! THANKS FOR YOUR REVIEWS AND SUPPORT ON THIS, BTW! LOVE YOU ALL. **

Caroline knew exactly how it started but she didn't know how it came to this. Klaus had promised to cook dinner and well, she'd volunteered to help but he'd restricted her to the barstool, allowing her only to watch while he cooked.

She didn't know what had possessed her to pour an ice cube into his shirt when he had his back turned towards her but she knew that she _definitely_ deserved the bowl of pesto sauce to be dumped over her.

However, she hadn't expected it and had retaliated by throwing the chopped vegetables his way which, unfortunately for him, included tomatoes.

Starting from there it had turned into a full fledge war until the both of them were soaking in their dinner. She'd showered and changed into her night suit while Klaus had gone to order pizza and change himself.

In the back of her mind she knew she should've been grieving. She'd just lost her husband not a month ago but she just couldn't stay sad or upset ever since Klaus had pled to her saying that _Enzo_ wouldn't have wanted her to be sad. And honestly, ever since visiting Enzo's grave, she'd felt peace. She'd felt _peace_ after so many restless days and agony filled nights.

She still cried. She still missed him, every day but she let herself feel joy too.

The joy of enjoying her best friend's company.

It was only after living with Klaus that she realized how much she missed the old times when she could freely hang out with him without any responsibilities and burdens on both of them. However, ever since she'd gotten married she realized what an awful friend she had been. She had never really been there for Klaus when he needed her - _Hell, she didn't even know if he'd ever needed her or not -_ And right now when she had no one she could trust, Klaus was standing by her side as her constant.

Coming to the conclusion that she was going to help him and be there for him whenever she could, Caroline tried to smile and laugh again for his sake.

And by the looks of it, he appreciated too. He brought her flowers on his way back home and sometimes even brought her cupcakes and confectionary goods. She'd smile at him and then tease him that he was only trying to make her gain weight so that he didn't have to worry about his own physical shape.

"Guilty as charged, love" he'd reply as always.

It was only when Katherine came to visit and pointed it out for her that she realized that she was _settling_ with Klaus. And that couldn't happen. He was her best friend and she didn't want to become a fulltime responsibility for him.

She only then realized that she must have been keeping him away from his own life. She was a widow with an injured leg, not him. He was a young, handsome bachelor guy with so many options.

And maybe because of her, those options were going away.

But she couldn't let that happen. Not to her best friend.

"I was thinking about going over to my apartment tomorrow" Caroline spoke up at dinner, like before, but casually this time. "To sort out some of the stuff" she added, offhandedly.

Klaus frowned. "I can send the housekeeper to do that for you, love" he offered, trying not to panic at her sudden demand to go.

"You know I'll never be satisfied until I do it by my own hand" Caroline joked with a chuckle. "Besides, it'll only take a couple of days" she said with a casual shrug.

Klaus' eyes widened and his grip on the fork tightened. "Days?" he inquired, in shock. "Sweetheart, why don't you do it later? You need to rest and I'm sure I can find some time to help you out too…" he suggested, already thinking of ways to make her stop.

"It's okay Klaus. I'm alright now. Even my leg doesn't hurt that much anymore" She replied, reassuringly. "Besides I'm sure you have work to do and it's not like you'd be able to help me out much anyway. That home is a mess that only I can sort out" she joked truthfully, knowing that to any outsider that place would seem like a junkyard but to her it was full of memories and recollections.

Klaus gave her a small smile but his mind was wandering off to other places. Where did this new idea come into Caroline's mind? She'd been fine for the past few days. Actually, everything had been going excellent and then suddenly, she was back on her _I-don't-want-to-be-a-burden_ mode.

He wracked his brain for who might've put this idea in her mind and the only person who he knew could've done that was Katherine. She had been the only one allowed to visit Caroline and she lacked a filter so she was definitely Klaus' prime suspect.

"I'll drop you off tomorrow on my way to the office and then I'll pick you up on my way back" he told her, firmly. Caroline opened her mouth to object but he cut her off before she could. "There's no way I'm going to leave you alone over there for _days_ Caroline so arguing would be pointless" he reprimanded her sternly making her frown.

When would he stop making her feel like a little kid who was stealing candies?

With a sigh, she nodded. "Fine"

Moving onto the pleasant part of the conversation, Klaus smiled at her. "Did you like the flowers I sent today, love?" he asked, eager to move on from the subject.

Caroline smiled back, gratefully. "Yes, they were beautiful. Thanks" she replied. "But I hope I'm not the only one at the receiving end of these beautiful flowers" she added, mischievously. "I mean there has to be some girl out there that's good enough for Klaus Mikaelson" she teased, probing him so he'd open up about his love life.

Klaus smirked at that. "There is" he told her, staring at her.

Caroline's eyes widened. " _Really?_ " she asked excitedly. "Why didn't you _tell_ me?" she asked in an accusatory manner but before he could answer, she shook her head. "Forget _that_. Tell me, who is she?" she inquired, curiously. "Do I know her? _Wait!_ Have I ever met her?" she wondered out loud, already mentally listing the possible girls in her mind.

Klaus smiled at her inquisitiveness and leaned forward to tuck her hair behind her ear. "She is a beautiful girl with a fiery spirit and those flowers are _almost_ as beautiful as her" he whispered coyly. "She's the sweetest at heart and does what's best for everyone" Caroline could barely control her curiosity and just when she was about to ask him, his words deflated her. "And she's my best friend"

Caroline swatted him away. "I'm serious Nik" she complained, groaning. "You're seriously wasting all your time here with me. Look, I don't want you to sit home alone at a Friday or Saturday night because you're stubborn and pretending that no one's good enough for you and that you're happy alone" she ranted off, anxiously. "No one's happy alone" she murmured, shaking her head, as she thought of her own situation for a while.

"I don't care and I don't know _how_ but you're going to go on a date tomorrow" she concluded stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Klaus opened his mouth and then closed it, unsure of what to say. Clearly her parents hadn't talked to her yet.

"How do you suppose I'll get a date on such short notice?" he asked, playing along with her.

Caroline shrugged and pointed towards him. "You're… _you._ Who wouldn't go out with you?" she asked, in an exaggerated motion and it made his ego swell with pride.

"I suppose it does help" he said, not even truly committed. "If it doesn't go well, you will owe me" he dared her, knowing that even if the date did go well he'd still say it didn't so she'd owe him.

She smiled at that. "Alright" she accepted his terms, nodding. They stayed silent for a while before Caroline burst again. "So do you have someone in mind?" she probed, curiously.

Times like this made him realize how similar she was to Rebekah. But as soon as the thought came to his mind, he brushed it off. Comparing Caroline and his baby sister didn't sit well with him.

He chuckled at her, warding off any of her suggestions. He knew exactly how he was going to spend _his date time_ tomorrow.

"You can drop me off to my parents' when you're about to leave" she suggested, offhandedly.

Klaus looked up and swallowed hard. "Of course. Do you want me to pick you up right after I'm free or should I send the driver if I'm late?" he asked, hoping she'd want him to pick her up.

Caroline shrugged. "I think I might stay there for the night" she informed him and missed the look of complete shock on his face. "Katherine's going to come over too. Girls' night" she clarified, shaking her head.

"Oh" was all he said. "I'll come to pick you up in the morning then" he replied, slightly uncomfortable with the idea of her being away from him.

She smiled at him. "No. I'll tell Kat to drop me off. I don't want you to make another excuse to miss office" she teased, poking her tongue at him.

"Perks of being the boss" he pointed out, smugly.

"Technically Elijah has more authority. No?" she asked, thinking back to how Elijah always bit Klaus' ear off on the phone about work.

Klaus rolled his eyes. " _Technically_ sweetheart, _I'm_ Elijah's boss but the only reason I allow him to push me around is because he is my brother" he said, feeling slightly competitive.

"Statements like this make me wonder if Kol really was adopted" Caroline retorted lightly, knowing that he was probably feeling jealous and competitive again. CEO of his own billionaire firm and yet he was still so unsure of himself.

"We still have our doubts" Klaus answered back, thinking how much more things would make sense if they found out that Kol really was adopted. Then they'd have to be less embarrassed about his antics in public as well.

They continued on talking, bantering until it was time for bed. Both of them went to bed thinking about how different their days had done.

While Caroline slept peacefully, Klaus was having trouble with even laying in bed. He wanted to march right up to Katherine and strangle her little neck for pouring these ideas into Caroline's head. Sure he had no _actual_ evidence that she had said something to Caroline but he had a gut feeling that this was all her doing.

Knowing he wouldn't be getting much sleep any way, he threw the covers off him and grabbed his cell phone. Without a look at the time, he dialed a familiar number.

The line was picked up on the second ring. "Niklaus"

Klaus refrained from rolling his eyes. "Are you busy, Elijah?" he asked, wasting no time in polite chitchat.

"Yes but I'm sure you don't seem to care" his brother replied dryly. "What is it?" he asked, without further ado.

"I talked to Caroline today. She seems to be all set about going back. The problem is that she was fine when I left her and after that Katherine came to visit and I don't know what that incessant woman put in her mind but you need to tell Katherine to back off" he growled into the phone, careful to keep his voice down.

He heard a long, insufferable sigh from his older brother. "Perhaps it is time for Caroline to head back home" Elijah voiced, carefully.

"This _is_ her home!" Klaus argued, heatedly.

"No. It's not." Elijah pointed out, firmly. "Not yet, anyway" he added, much to his brother's relief. "I had an interesting chat with her father the other day" he trailed off for his brother's reaction.

Klaus seemed surprised at the information but tried to keep the cheeriness out of his voice. "Oh?"

"Are you sure that this is what you want, brother?" Elijah asked, trying to be sure that his brother was happy.

"Yes" Klaus answered with finality, leaving no room for argument.

There was silence on the line for a minute before Elijah spoke again. "I'll speak with Katerina. She won't cause anymore inconvenience" he said. "Now if that's all, I'd like to wish you good night" he said before hanging up.

Klaus rolled his eyes before tossing his phone on the bed and walking out of the room to get a glass of water.

Just out of sheer curiosity and restlessness, he stopped outside his own bedroom and cracked open the door to see if she was alright. Maybe she was having a hard time sleeping as well. Much to his disappointment _and satisfaction,_ Caroline was sleeping soundly curled up in the sheets of his bed.

Not wanting to disturb her, he left as quickly as he entered and went back to his own room. _Temporary room._

Caroline resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Klaus rattled off all the situations or emergencies when she was supposed to call him. Was it just her or was he thinking that she was going to war?

"I'm just at home, Nik" she pointed out for the hundredth time, waving her hands around as she stood in the driveway of her parents' estate ready to say goodbye for the day. "There's no need to be worried" she added with a chuckle at his worried expression.

"Yes, well, I need to know that you're in good hands" he said, frowning, uncomfortable with still dropping her off at her parent's for the day. Why did she even want to come here? Those people didn't deserve her attention. "And you're not being serious about this" he chided, pointing a finger at her.

Caroline suppressed a giggle at his serious face before wrapped her arms around him. "You're such a baby" she joked, teasingly. "Thanks for dropping me off" she said with a smile. "Now don't keep standing here. Go to work and help Elijah out" she told him, waving him off with a hand gesture. "And don't forget your date tonight" she teased with a cheeky smile as she pulled back from him.

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her, playfully. "Call me if you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable here. Take your medicines on time. Not a minute late. Call me every hour so that I know not to come here and drag you back _home_ " he rattled off, deliberately using home for his house which would soon be _theirs._ "And most importantly" he said as he cupped her face in his hands. "Keep missing me" he whispered with a cheeky wink before placing a kiss on her cheek.

Caroline stiffened only for a moment before relaxing and giving him a small smile. "I want all the juicy details of that date tonight, Niklaus" she said, deliberately using his full name to make him feel like he was a child.

"Of course. I'll be expecting your call then" he called out as he walked towards his car. "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart" he said, waving at her as she gave him a thumb up.

 _He hoped her parents would talk to her today and convince her because staying away from her made him feel out of control and miserable and he wasn't sure how long he could control his feelings for her._

Just as expected, Caroline's parents found the perfect opportunity to talk to her when she ranted off about Klaus' mystery date at tea.

"I just can't figure out who she is" Caroline said frowning, oblivious to the obvious worry on her parents' face. "But… whatever! I'm just glad he's finally seeing someone" she admitted with a small, rueful smile.

How odd it was. She'd lost the love of her life for Klaus to start dating.

"Well, everyone needs someone in their life and its great that Klaus is seeing someone" Liz said, trying to be encouraging as she tried to approach the subject carefully. She placed a soothing hand on her daughter's knee. "What about you? Have you thought about what you're going to do now? How you're going to… carry on?" Liz asked, trying to be as gentle as possible with her words.

Caroline stilled for a few moments, unsure if she should be offended, upset, hurt or all at once.

Were her parents really so quickly tired of her? And she hadn't been here even one complete day. Maybe this would be here life now. Being a burden for everyone.

Well, almost everyone. _Nik would never think of her as a burden._

"Don't worry mom. Enzo left the apartment in my name and I have a job so I won't become a fulltime responsibility for you guys again" she said with a chuckle, trying to cover up the hurt she felt.

Understanding her train of thoughts, Liz shook her head. " _Oh… no!_ No. That's not what I meant" she tried to clarify but her husband cut her off.

"How exactly are you going to make ends meet with that job of yours? If you can call it that" Bill asked, sternly, taking up the job of stating the obvious while everyone chose to coward behind easy words.

Caroline swallowed harshly at her father's angry tone. _Maybe she had been better off at Klaus'._ "I'd been looking for other jobs too" she said, shaking her head lightly. Her husband had just died yet her parents didn't care for her grief. They only cared if she'd be able to wear Jimmy Choo at the next family function dinner or not.

"None of those jobs will help you" he told her, frankly. "You won't be able to survive like this" he said, his tone taking a gentler pitch as he thought of his little princess working so hard. He'd raised her to be a Queen, not a peasant working.

Feeling herself embarrassed enough, Caroline pressed her lips into a thin line and placed her mug back on the table. "I have some savings for now till my leg gets better and then I'll start looking for part time jobs along with my main so like I said, no need to worry" she told them, plastering a small fake smile on her face.

"Will you be able to handle _two jobs_?" Bill pressed on relentlessly. "Besides how are you so sure that you haven't lost your current job already?" he asked, shaking his head.

"I'll sell the apartment to get something smaller maybe. It's not like I need something that big anyway" she voiced feebly, knowing that everyone knew that was a lie. She would never sell off her apartment which was the last part of Enzo she had with her. "It'll keep me afloat till I find another job" she said as the realization hit her that as long as her husband was alive – Poor or not – he had been taking care of all her basic needs and necessities without anyone's help. But now that he was gone, her life had become everyone's concern.

Liz stroked her daughter's hair as she glared her husband for his thoughtless comments. "Sweetie, what your father means is that you don't need to worry. We are here for you. Whatever we have, it's yours" she offered sympathetically. "But you also know that money is not all that you need in life" Liz approached the subject carefully, knowing how much her daughter loved her dead husband and how much she despised being dependent on someone. "You're still young and so beautiful. You can find someone who will love you and take care of you"

Caroline's eyes widened at her mother's suggestion. "Stop, mom" she said, suddenly, moving away from her mother. "Please just… _no. No!"_ she forced out the words, feeling tears clog in her throat.

"If you would just listen to me, sweetie…" her mother tried to intervene, trying to move closer to Caroline who was clearly more than upset.

"NO!" Caroline yelled out, loudly, standing up to walk away most probably. "You guys are insane if you think… It's not… _not even a month_ " she hissed at them spitefully. "I love Enzo" she expressed, angrily.

Bill, however, was having none of it and grabbed Caroline by her arm before she could move away. "No. You _loved_ him and now he's gone. He's dead Caroline" he spelled it out for her and watched as she broke down even further, more tears leaving her eyes than before.

"No. No. No" Caroline kept repeating as she fell down on the floor, on her knees, pressing her hands to her ears as she rocked unsteadily on her feet. "He's… _no._ I love him. I love Enzo" she repeated, miserably trying not to let the hopelessness of her life reach her. She'd been doing such a good job of keeping herself composed and happy for everyone's sake and they just _had to_ go and remind her of everything.

Remind her of the truth and reality.

Suddenly, she felt hands hovering over hers. She looked up to see her father, kneeling in front of her taking her hands into his. "Caroline" he said, with the firmness yet the softness which made her attentive. "I'm sorry for your loss but it's just that. He's gone. Enzo is dead" he told her, as if she didn't know.

But that was the problem. She did know. She just didn't want it rubbed in her face every two minutes of her life.

"I know. _I know!_ " she said, shaking her head, as sobs wracked her tiny frame. "Just stop. I don't need to hear this" she cried out in frustration and helplessness. Maybe coming here was a bad idea.

Bill sighed. "No, you do need to hear this" he argued, shaking his own head. "Not just for yourself but for us. For your mother and I" he told her and these words gave him her attention. "I'm old and I'm tired" he started tiredly standing up to pace the room. "I'm so tired of this life and I'm ready to go. I'm ready to move on" he said, at which Liz barely restrained a sob. "Your mother and I need to be sure that you're settled and happy before we can do that. We've always listened to everything you've said. We've always given you whatever you've wished for. You wanted to marry Enzo even when we knew that he would never be able to provide properly for you but _we let you_ " Bill explained calmly. "For you" he added, looking at his daughter with pained yet adoring eyes.

"What do you want, dad?" she asked, resignedly, not seeing any point in arguing with him. "Do you want me to just disappear? Do you want me to go away?" she questioned, trembling. "I wish it would've been me. I wish that it had been me instead of him. Or at least we both wouldn't have made it. But I did. Okay? I survived and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry that I'm such a burden to you" she yelled at him, feeling every bit of helplessness wash over her.

Liz gaped in horror at her daughter's words and sobbed harder while her father looked like he had been struck with her words. _Physically._

"Do… do you honestly think that's what we care about?" Bill asked, stunned that she thought this way. "That we think of you as a burden?" he asked, broken.

Caroline felt a fleeting stab of guilt before she covered it up with her own sorrow. "That's what it looks like" she answered back in a small voice.

"How can you say that? After everything… after everything we've hoped for you to have in your life" he said as he sat on the floor, looking like a completely defeated man. "I want you to be happy and I need to be sure you're looked after" he admitted, frankly.

"Dad, I'm fine" Caroline reassured him softly.

Bill gave her a sad smile. "But how long will that remain?" he questioned, making her smile fell. "This world is a cruel place, Caroline. Ten years down when everyone around you is moving on with their lives then you'll remember my words" he said with a dry chuckle. "When Elena, Bonnie and Katherine will get married and have their own kids" he said and watched a pained look pass through Caroline's eyes. "Or when Klaus gets married and doesn't have time for you because of his wife and kids" it was a low blow but it had its desired effect on her as Caroline's expression morphed into one of alarm and horror.

"It's okay to move on, Care. Enzo would've wanted you to" she didn't need to look up to see her best friend Katherine standing by her side with her hand on Caroline's shoulder. After she had heard the conversation going that way, she wanted to strangle Caroline's parents but it was only when Bill raised the last point that she knew that they weren't entirely wrong. Klaus would move on and then Caroline would feel loneliness and helplessness to a new level.

"He would have wanted you to stay happy and content" Katherine said, sharing a look with Bill who blinked in gratitude for her help.

Caroline closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her senses.

"And Klaus seems to really care for you. It's like he's already in love with you" Liz chimed in, trying to be supportive.

Caroline's eyes bulged out and it was Katherine who slapped her hand to her forehead at Liz's blatant approach. " _WHAT?_ "

Klaus sighed and ran a hand over his face tiredly. He had been working in his office since the morning and had practically buried himself in his work to avoid thinking about dragging Caroline back. It had proved as a good distraction until it was six in the evening and everyone had started calling it a day and heading back to their homes.

Of course, he had no one to go home to. _As usual._ So he simply chose to hang back and get back into his routine because he had been lagging behind ever since Caroline had moved over.

He could hardly stay focused on his work for long when he got a reminder text from Caroline about his _so-called date._ He'd lied, naturally, and told her that he'd be going straight from office to have dinner with his supposed date.

She had wished him best of luck so when his phone rang at approximately ten, he wasn't surprised to find his little blonde girl calling him.

"Sweetheart" he greeted with a smirk, leaning back in his chair. "How have you been?" he asked, desperate to hear her voice.

"Fine" Klaus frowned at her quiet tone and sat ahead, alert. "How was your date?" she asked, continuing on the conversation even though her tone was quiet and very suspicious.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked, ignoring her questions.

He heard her sigh. "Nothing, Nik. Everything's fine" she answered back and he could almost feel the strained cheeriness that she was trying to force into her voice.

 _He hated that. He absolutely loathed it when she pasted a fake smile on her face for everyone else around her._

 _And people bought it._

"Caroline" he said her name, sternly, gripping the phone in his hand too tightly.

"Everything's okay, Nik" she said, trying to reassure him and added a fake laugh for his expense which even made herself cringe. "As fine as it can be in the circumstances" she joked, or tried to. But he saw right through it.

"Caroline either you tell me what's wrong or I'm coming over to your parents' house right now and I don't give a lick if you want to stay there or not. You're coming back home with me!" he growled into the phone, in frustration and worry.

"Whoa! Calm down" she hissed into the phone. "I'll tell you. Just wait" she said and he forced himself to remain seated as he heard rustling sounds in the background. "Sorry Kat was sleeping. I didn't want to wake her up" she said, after a while.

"… _Caroline…"_

She sighed, knowing her distraction technique wouldn't work. She looked behind her shoulder to check if the door was closed and then looked down the balcony railing. "Can I ask you something, Nik?" she asked, softly. "And you'll be hundred percent honest" she demanded, pleadingly.

"Of course" he said, without any hesitance.

"First tell me how your date went?" she asked, trying to prolong the inevitable.

Klaus chuckled dryly as he looked at the papers in front of him. "Well, I certainly won't be expecting a call back. That's for sure" he said and it wasn't a lie. He hadn't gone out so he wouldn't get a call back for another.

" _That_ bad, huh?" she asked giving him back a nervous chuckle.

"Who wants to go out with a man who's a workaholic and rarely has time for trashy television shows?" he continued on jokingly, not caring how miserable he sounded because it was true. No matter how many magazines made him seem like one of the most eligible bachelors the sad and _bitter_ reality was that he was a heartbroken, workaholic who was desperately in love with a girl he could never have.

He couldn't even hold a proper, romantic conversation with any other girl if he wanted. So how could he date one?

"Well that's their loss" Caroline commented truthfully because she knew how great and amazing a guy her best friend really was. He was gem of a person and she was lucky to have him in her life. "So this means your date went horrible?" she asked for clarification.

"It means you owe me dinner, sweetheart" he answered back, smugly.

Caroline bit her lip before exhaling loudly. " _How_ … how do you feel about me, Nik?" she asked, unsure of how to phrase her question. She wasn't sure what she was looking for in his answer, herself because she knew that he had this… _affection_ towards her and certain possessiveness but she wasn't sure if it was like what her parents said.

 _It's like he's already in love with you._

Her mother's words kept ringing in her ears and she couldn't ignore them, no matter how hard she tried. And now that she focused on his actions, she couldn't distinguish if he was friendly or … _in love_ with her.

"You're you, Caroline" he started, momentarily flabbergasted by her direct approach. Then again, Caroline Forbes was never one to beat around the bush for too long. "Gorgeous. Beautiful. Smart. Intelligent and so full of light" he admitted, finding words too less to describe how he actually felt about her. "Who wouldn't love you?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

It was like time stood still as he anticipated her to bash him and his pathetic approach.

Only she didn't.

"Do you love me?" her question came more unsure and confused than angry, unlike how he'd expected.

This was the moment of truth. He could say that no, he didn't. That he only meant it as a friend and he could still save their relationship but he was tired. Tired of hiding his true feelings from her. Tired of losing her to other men. Tired of losing her to his cowardice.

So he did the one thing that he never thought he would. "Yes" he answered back without any hesitance.

There was silence on the line before he heard her voice so soft that he barely understood it. "Ask me tomorrow" she demanded before hanging up and it was at that moment that he felt like he'd truly been given the biggest shock of my life.

 _Had she just…_ No. He couldn't be sure. But whatever it was tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.

Caroline turned off her cell phone and placed it inside the bedside drawer before huffing. She didn't know what came over her and she'd so eagerly demanded him to ask her again but she knew that she couldn't have said no anyway. Not after the vulnerability she'd heard in his voice.

At least that's what she kept telling herself as she lay in bed, unable to sleep.

Next to her Katherine groaned and looked up to see her best friend tossing and turning. "Can't sleep?" she asked, her voice croaked from sleep.

Caroline shook her head and gave her a shrug.

The brunette nodded before pulling the blonde close to her and embracing her. She pressed a kiss to Caroline's hair and pulled the blankets over them. "Everything's going to be okay Care" she murmured, reassuringly.

"I hope so" she answered back before reveling in the warmth and comfort her best friend provided and giving into the much needed sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

As soon as Klaus had set foot into their family home, Rebekah knew he was not in a good mood. He looked rather murderous and, because of that reason alone, she didn't dare block his way.

He headed straight for their library which was more or less Elijah's sanctuary. She decided to stay out of the matter, for at least now. But that didn't stop her from eavesdropping on her brothers' conversation. She pressed herself against the door so she could hear, _more or less_ , every word that Klaus was yelling at Elijah.

"I did everything Elijah!" his aggravated voice came through the door. " _Everything!_ " he added, forcefully.

Rebekah squinted and pressed her ear closer to the door. She could tell that much from her brother's voice and tone that he was pissed beyond belief. If only she could look inside for herself.

"What are you doing, Bekah?" a chirpy voice from behind her made her jump. She turned around and glared her younger brother who was standing behind her with his arms crossed over his chest.

She rolled her eyes and smacked his arm. " _Bloody dimwit_. You almost gave me a heart attack" Rebekah sneered dramatically.

"No need to be violent, baby sister" Kol mused out loud.

Rebekah hushed him and narrowed her eyes at him. "Keep it down, will you? I'm trying to listen" she warned him before going back to pressing her ear towards the door.

Kol shook his head and pasted a cheeky smile on his face. "Or you could simply ask your devilishly handsome brother who already knows" he suggested, shrugging when she whipped around to look at him.

"You know why Nik's upset?" she asked dubiously.

Kol rolled his eyes. "You mean why Nik's _got his knickers in a twist,_ yes" he answered sarcastically before he got pulled away when she grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the hallway.

"What happened and how do you know?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. "I want to know _everything_ " she demanded with a pout.

"What happened is that our lovesick brother finally gathered his wits and guts and proposed to our lovely Carebear" he had only said that much when Rebekah started squealing in excitement and clapped her hands.

"That's great news!" Rebekah gushed excitedly. "I am so happy for them" she said with a bright smile.

"Hold on, Bekah. You didn't let me complete" he said, holding up his hand. "I didn't say she said yes" he told her with a smirk on his face.

Rebekah mouth dropped open at that news. "What?" she gaped out. "How can she _not_ say yes? What… How can she say no? Has she not seen Nik and who does she think is going to be a better match for her?" she seethed at the idea of Caroline saying no. Did the girl not see how much her brother cared for her?

"What's more is that she rejected him in person when he went to visit her today and she even moved out of the apartment by telling _Katherine_ to pick up her stuff" he snickered, shaking his head at the ridiculousness of the situation.

Rebekah's mouth closed and she pursed her lips tightly. "This is all Katherine's doing. I'm sure of it" she hissed, clenching her fists.

"Or maybe unlike you all thought, she really loved her husband and _not Niklaus_ " he countered, looking at Rebekah innocently when she glared him.

"Shut up, Kol" she growled, angrily before pushing him away and pacing around. "I can't believe she did that" she said, incredulously shaking her head. "I mean who does she think she is to reject Nik like that? Who does she think is going to marry her and does she honestly think she's going to get someone better than our brother?" she scoffed when Kol opened his mouth to answer and held up her hand for him.

"Maybe…" he tried to intervene but Rebekah cut him off.

"Just don't Kol" she snapped at him.

" _O-kay_ " he drawled awkwardly before moving away. "If I were you, I'd stay out of it" he advised her, cautiously. " _For now, at least_ " he added mischievously before walking away leaving a furious Rebekah in his wake.

Caroline huffed and bit her lip as she regarded her apartment with a critical look. As far as she could judge, she had pretty much cleansed her apartment of all the lingering memories.

"So now that this is all done, do you want to head out for lunch?" Katherine asked coming up behind her friend. "I'm _sure_ Bonnie and Elena have already filled my phone with messages and voicemails for you" she said, rolling her eyes.

Caroline faked a smile before turning to her best friend. "I'm sure they have" she chuckled a little. "But you should go ahead. I think I'm going to stay in today" she said with a little shrug. The truth was that ever since yesterday she didn't feel like talking to anyone or facing anyone.

She still wasn't ready, especially not, after what she had done to Klaus today. She didn't have the strength to face anyone after that. She couldn't get the image of his face out of her mind even if she tried to.

"You know what you did today was probably a good decision for you" Katherine said softly pulling her out of her thoughts. "He needed to know that he can't control and manipulate you as he feels"

Caroline softly nodded with Katherine's words but her insides were screaming at her. After everything, she still refused to believe that Klaus would ever manipulate her or lie to her. _Yes, he could be controlling and domineering._

But not manipulative. Not with her, at least.

"Yeah… Besides, I'm not even the right person for him" Caroline said suddenly, trying to make herself feel better. "He was probably saying those things out of pity" she knew that the chances of that were much higher than him being in love with her.

Sure, he loved her like she loved him.

But it wasn't marriage material love.

It was just… _friendship_ love.

"You don't need a man to make your life better, Care" Katherine voiced her opinion openly. "You're strong. Stronger than people give you credit for" she complimented, truthfully. "Just know that every step you take I'll be by your side"

Caroline smiled halfheartedly at the reassurance and hugged her friend. "Have fun and tell the girls that we'll meet up later" she said as she waved her friend goodbye.

Just as she closed the door to her apartment and headed towards the kitchen, she couldn't help but let her mind drift to her conversation which Klaus this morning.

 _Caroline nervously fidgeted as she waited for Klaus to come inside. She had ignored his calls all morning and then texted, him, later saying that he needed to come over to her parents' house._

 _Of course, Klaus being his usual caring self had come over not twenty minutes later with a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Her favorite flowers._

 _He greeted her with his usual smirk and a kiss on the cheek which she tried not to flinch from. She knew what her parents were doing and she knew that they were most probably pressurizing Klaus into marrying her._

 _But she didn't want that for him. She didn't want him to feel obligated to marry her._

" _Ready to go home, love?" Klaus asked, almost cheerfully._

 _Caroline didn't dare look him in the eye as she said the next words. "I'm not going back with you" she said, quietly._

 _Klaus' eyes widened at her dismissal and he looked more angry than shocked. "Why?" he ground out, trying to reign in his temper. But if his clenched fists were any indication, he was severely pissed._

" _I just can't" she said, trying not to fidget nervously under his gaze. "Look, I know we talked yesterday but I wanted to be clear about everything and the best way to do that is to talk about it in person" she explained waving her hands. "Face to face" she added for further clarification._

 _His expression softened at that. "Yes there is much that is left to be discussed about the wedding and- he started but stopped when she cut him off._

" _There's not going to be a wedding Nik because I'm not going to marry you" she declared firmly, looking ahead, holding her head high. She wasn't going to back down. Not now._

 _It was for his own betterment, after all._

" _What" he choked out and Caroline could almost sense the anger radiating off of him._

" _We're not getting married Klaus" she said sterner, using his common name which irked him further._

" _Oh?" Klaus said trying to remain unaffected while he was seething on the inside. "And you came to that conclusion all by yourself?" he probed sarcastically raising a mocking eyebrow at her as he sat back in his chair and relaxed._

 _Caroline frowned at that and looked up at him to find his cold, calculating eyes trying to pierce holes through her soul. She gulped under his icy gaze and inhaled deeply._

" _Well, I think it's high time for me to take a hold of my life and make my own decisions" she stated, self assured that she was doing the right thing._

 _Klaus narrowed his eyes at that and leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his knees as he leaned towards her. "And your decision is to not marry me?" he questioned, taking hold of an escaped blonde tendril of hers and curling it around his finger to tug her closer. "To abandon me, to disregard me" he exaggerated, tugging her hair so that his breath fanned over her face and she could look him in the eye._

 _Caroline's eyes widened at that and rushed to explain, herself. "I'm not abandoning you… Or disregarding- she started but Klaus cut her off by grabbing her face with both his hands and pulling her closer to him._

" _Yes you are. You are disregarding everyone and anyone who cares about you" he snarled at her, shaking her so that her only focus was on him. He glared at her as she started up at him wide-eyed and flushed. "I never thought I'd see the day when you would become this selfish Caroline" he said before pushing her back on the couch and moving away from her with a look of disgust on his face._

 _Caroline staggered and took a minute or two to compose, herself, as she stood up on wobbly legs._

" _Wh… What?" she gaped out in shock. "I'm selfish?" she shook her head, as if to clear her mind. Klaus was the one who constantly told her how beautiful, selfless and full of light she was and it hurt that now_ he _was the one who thought she was being selfish._

" _What else would you call this behavior of yours?" he hissed at her, turning away from her to pace the area. "You have no care for your parents' concern for you. Do you have any idea how worried they are for you?" he asked angrily. A part of him felt bad for cowering behind her parents but then again, he knew how to get what he wanted. And he wasn't exactly lying. Her parents did have some concern for her. "Your friends, your family, Caroline. Everyone is so worried for you. All they want for you is to choose good for yourself for once and you can't even give them that" he said, with a hollow chuckle, shaking his head in disappointment._

" _Don't bring my family into this!" Caroline bristled. "I've never done anything that my parents haven't approved" she denied, pointing her finger at him._

 _Klaus chuckled mercilessly and his laugh only made her feel more cautious. He leaned in closer towards her and stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. "Have you forgotten your first marriage, love?" he asked mockingly. "That action itself was the biggest disrespect and disobedience. Shall I spell out your other mistake while the topic is open?" he asked cunningly. "He went around by the name of Enzo" he mocked, cruelly._

 _Caroline's jaw clenched and tears streamed down her cheeks at the mention of her late husband. Her hand flew out before she could control herself. He easily caught her wrist in his hand and squeezed it for a minute before bringing it to his lips and dropping a kiss on the inside of her wrist._

" _How dare you?" Caroline seethed. "I love Enzo" she claimed, hurtfully._

 _With that Klaus pulled her closer and turned her around so that her back pressed into his chest. "No sweetheart. You loved Enzo and he's dead now. You had your chance at happiness and you took it regardless of the effect it would have on those around you" he said and momentarily thought back to the dark days of his life when Caroline had been newly married and had left for her honeymoon with her new husband. "Now it's time for you to give back some happiness and peace to your family" he suggested before pushing her out of his arms._

 _Caroline staggered to the couch but caught herself before falling down._

" _I believe I've pointed out more than enough for you today. Perhaps, you should take some time to think about others rather than yourself this time" he said coolly and before the sight of a crying, confused Caroline could deter him, he turned his back to her again._

" _You're horrible and you didn't deserve Enzo's friendship or his loyalty" Caroline sneered at him as tears leaked from her eyes. "For once I'm glad he's dead because seeing you like this he would've been so hurt" she added and her every word felt worse than a physical blow to him. "I want you to get out of my house, my life and never come back again!" she yelled at him as she fell back onto the couch, bawling her eyes out._

Caroline shook her head as the words kept coming back to her. She had said far too much to him, she knew. But there was nothing she could do to take it back.

Besides he had said worse things to her. Maybe he deserved to know that she wasn't his doormat.

Snapping herself out of those thoughts, she set to the task of sorting out her house. Her own apartment which she would have to run alone now. The thought got her sad for a second before she covered it up with a smile.

 _She could do it._

Klaus kept staring into his glass and downed the amber liquid after swirling it around for a minute. As soon as the burning sensation in his throat had died down, he growled and hauled the glass towards the fireplace where it crackled in the roaring fire.

If there was one thing in his life that he _truly_ hated, it was being out of control.

And for the past couple of weeks, his life had been completely out of control. _Out of his control_.

How could it be that within the span of a few hours, Caroline Forbes could make his day from heaven to hell?

She wasn't supposed to have that power over him. No one was supposed to have that much power over him.

Even though, he had been assured by Elijah that he would take care of the situation, he still didn't want only reassurances. He wanted results and quick ones for that matter.

He had waited long enough for Caroline and now he was tired of waiting. He knew that he could corner her and pressurize her into marrying him but the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth and he found himself unable to do such a thing.

She was, after all, still his best friend and he could – _would-_ never do something like that to her.

So taking Elijah's advice, he for once trusted his elder brother and vowed to stay away from Caroline till Elijah handled everything.

Hopefully, he would be able to keep his word.

 _Klaus groaned and mumbled incoherently under his breath as he heard his phone blasting off his ear. Normally he would've ignored the call had it not been for the specific ringtone assigned to that specific person._

" _I swear, sweetheart, you are the only person who can call me now and still be alive the next morning" he grumbled as he held the phone to his ear and rubbed his eyes. "Is everything alright?" he asked, shaking his head to clear off the sleep._

 _He heard her huffing on the other side before she spoke up. "Can you talk to me for a little while, Nik?" she asked in a little, sad voice which had Klaus frowning and sitting up straight._

" _What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked, worriedly._

" _My parents are fighting again and I just don't want to hear them" she explained, sadly and he could practically imagine her curled up in her bed, trying to block out their noises. "Can you- she huffed loudly this time. "Just open your window. I'm standing down" she said and Klaus had to stop from tripping from his quilt when he rushed out of his bed towards the balcony doors._

 _As promised, Caroline stood there, clutching the phone to her head and shivering in his grey hoodie. He quickly opened the door and threw down the rope ladder for her, which he only had because of her, and helped her up._

 _Once she was up, he placed her at arm's length and inspected her for a few moments before bringing her into his side. "It's bloody freezing outside. How long have you been standing here?" he asked, perplexed as he led her inside._

 _Caroline shrugged. "Fifteen minutes" she said, shivering slightly. "I'm sorry for coming here so late but they were so loud and I tried to- she started nervously but Klaus shushed her before folding her into his arms and embracing her._

 _She hugged him back before he pulled back and gave her a small indulgent smile._

" _You never have to apologize to me for coming to me, Caroline" Klaus said, gently tipping her head upwards so he could see the sincerity in his eyes. "Never" he repeated, firmly._

 _Caroline got comfortable in bed while Klaus went downstairs to fetch a mug of hot chocolate for her. When he came back, he saw her settled into his bed at one side, leaving enough space for him at the other end. Now that he could see, she was still in her pajamas with her grey hoodie placed on his chair._

 _He gulped and controlled his impulse to snatch the quilt away from her to see how much her night suit actually covered because judging from the singlet top, he was sure it wasn't much._

 _He calmly placed the mug at her bedside before sliding into bed next to her. He gently brushed his hand against her shoulder, pulling her into his chest. Once she relaxed next to him, he slowly started running his fingertips up and down her arm in a relaxing manner._

" _Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, quietly._

" _No" Caroline mumbled silently, pressing herself further into his chest. "Can I just stay here for the night?" she questioned, even though she didn't really need to._

 _He nodded in return, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, letting her snuggle into his chest._

" _Of course. Anything for you, love" he said adoringly looking at her as he pulled the quilt over their bodies, tucking them both in nicely. The whole night Klaus kept watching her as she slept and his hand never once stopped stroking her hair._

 _It was somewhere around dawn that he fell asleep and by the time when he woke up; Caroline was gone without so much as a goodbye note._

 _Later that day, he saw her in the Grille sitting next to Enzo, smiling and talking to him animatedly. It made him insanely mad that she'd left him for Enzo. So in his rage, he did the next thing that made sense._

 _He acted as the asshole that they treated him as. Hell, he even hooked up with Hayley in front of them who he knew Caroline absolutely hated after the girl had tried to push Caroline before some cheerleading competition._

 _Anything really to make her feel the hurt he'd felt when she so easily ignored him and went to Enzo._

Liz sighed loudly as she walked into her husband's study to find him hunched over a bunch of papers with a glass of whiskey in his hand. It was barely evening time and he was already drunk.

When he heard the door open, he looked up to see Liz walking in and then focused his gaze back on the envelope in his hand and took a full swig of the drink in his hand. "Fill it up for me, will you?" he asked, holding his glass out towards her.

Once she complied and got the glass back to him, he pushed the folder towards her. "Caroline lost her job and the rent for her apartment hasn't been paid for the last four months" he told her, pressing his lips into a grim line.

Liz shook her head at that. "How much is the rent?" she asked, carefully.

Knowing where this argument was headed, Bill shook his head and gave his wife a stern look. "Doesn't matter how much because we're not paying it for her" he announced harshly. "Neither are we going to get her, her job back" he said, taking the folder from her hand and placing it inside the drawer of his desk.

"She's our daughter, Bill!" Liz said, affronted, as she stood up in rage.

"Yes and as her father, I know what I'm doing" he said back, aggravated at his wife's constant nagging. "She's not going to come back to Klaus if she keeps getting everything handed out to her. She needs to value the life we have given her and the life Klaus can give her" he said and at that moment, Liz wanted to slap him for his harsh yet true words.

"I know it's hard but it's for her own good" he said a little more tenderly, placing his hand on top of hers. "Let's hope she accepts this sooner rather than later" he said with a loud sigh.

Caroline knew she should probably be packing up right now instead of pacing around but she couldn't help it. She was jobless and soon-to-be homeless.

She couldn't believe she had forgotten to pay the rent but then again, Enzo always took care of that and she rarely ever had to worry about it.

She knew the landlord was a kind, old man who would probably give her some time to pay the rent but even with that time, she couldn't collect that sort of money. Not without a job. Not without spending all of her savings, which were already running away like water.

She debated calling her parents but then again, they'd only have nasty comments about Enzo and his inability to keep his house afloat and she couldn't bear to hear a word about him.

So her next thought flew to Klaus… But that seemed like a bad idea. Besides, she wasn't going to draw him into her mess.

Doing the next rational thing she called Katherine.

Surprisingly the phone was picked up on the second bell. "Carolineee!" came her friend's high pitched, excited voice.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Kat, are you okay?" she asked, trying to conceal the worry in her voice.

"I am wonderful. Thanks for asking" the brunette replied smugly. "But I have news, if you must know" she goaded happily.

Caroline waited for her friend to spill before she ranted on her own problems and spoiled the mood. "Well…?" she prompted, impatiently.

"Elijah asked me to move in with him!" she exclaimed excitedly and Caroline could imagine her friend practically bouncing with happiness. "He said he would come by later this evening to help me pack" she told her friend.

"Oh my God! That's great Kat. I'm so happy for you" Caroline said with a smile on her face, trying to ignore the tears in her eyes and the small envious feeling in her heart. All her friends were getting their perfect lifelong dreams fulfilled while she was sinking deep and deeper into abyss.

"What's wrong, Care?" Katherine said her voice suddenly serious. "You have your fake happy voice" she explained, straightforwardly.

"No. No, it's nothing. I'm just really happy for you" the blonde said, shaking her head to clear any unwanted thoughts. She could deal with the tensions of her life later but right now she needed to be happy for her friend. "Congratulations Kat. You and Elijah deserve this" she said, letting a genuine smile come on her face.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Katherine asked dubiously.

Caroline shook her head as a laugh left her. "Of course I am, _mum_ " she said, sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, Kat, stop worrying about me. I'm okay" she lied, reassuringly.

"Well, we're going out to celebrate tonight and I'm hearing no excuses, young lady" Katherine announced sternly, before her best friend could make up any lame excuse just to avoid the world for a few more days. "No buts, Carebear. I'll pick you up at seven so don't you dare be late or moppy" she said and before Caroline could object the line went dead.

Sighing, Caroline placed the phone back down and grabbed her head in her hands.

 _With Katherine's apartment not available, what other option did she have?_

True to her word, Katherine came barging into Caroline's house at seven along with Elena and Bonnie who seemed sheepish to make eye contact with her.

"Hey Care" Elena said, shyly with a small wave.

Not wanting to keep up the rift between them, Caroline gave her a small smile and walked over to hug her. "Hi" she said and felt her friend's arms tighten around her.

"I'm so sorry fo- Elena started but Caroline cut her off.

"Look guys it's … Let's just not talk about it. I don't want that _incident_ to get between our friendship. Okay?" she asked with a bright smile that Bonnie and Elena reciprocated and hugged Caroline once again.

"As lovely as this little reunion is, we need to get going" Katherine interrupted, sardonically, before her eyes narrowed on Caroline. "We're going to a club Caroline. Not church. You need to change" she asserted looking at Bonnie and Elena for back up.

"She looks fine" Elena lied, lamely, not wanting to upset her friend.

Bonnie, however, gave Caroline a sheepish smile. "Not one to burst your bubble but you could use with a bit more color, Care" she said before pulling out a shopping bag from behind her. "And we just have the perfect dress for you" she exclaimed excitedly before handing the bag to Caroline.

"Guys, it's really nice of you but isn't this a bit too much?" Caroline asked, unsurely, looking at the sparkly dress in her hands. Normally she wouldn't have had a second thought about wearing it but now circumstances were different. _Things_ had changed.

"Come on Care. We bought it especially for you and it'll look great on you" Bonnie said, pleadingly.

Katherine gave her friend a look before Caroline relented and changed into the dress. Ten minutes later, they were on their way when Caroline realized something.

"Wait. Is Rebekah not coming?" she asked curiously.

Her friends started averting their gaze except for Katherine whose eyes hardened at the mention of the other girl and she squeezed her best friend's hand.

"She wasn't exactly in the party mood" Katherine answered vaguely before directing the driver where to take them.

It took Caroline a few moments before she realized the exact reason. "She's not coming because of me, right?" she declared and by the looks on the girls' faces, it was true. Because she rejected Klaus, now Rebekah wanted nothing to do with her.

"She'll come around" Elena said, reassuringly. "You know she just loves Klaus a lot"

In that moment, Caroline knew that maybe rejecting Klaus' proposal wasn't her brightest decision so far. That led her to the current predicament as she drank her way through the club's liquor supply. Tonight she was not going to hold back.

Klaus tried to repress his smirk as she watched his sister flip through magazines and then simultaneously complain about the some show running on the television.

"Don't laugh, Nik" Rebekah warned him, without looking up.

Klaus raised his hands in surrender and focused on the sketch book in his lap. "I said nothing" he justified.

"Can you believe that they would choose her over me? And furthermore, Elijah's inviting that hoe to live with us. HERE!? In _our_ home!" Rebekah rambled on in frustration.

Klaus frowned and sat up straight at the mention of someone moving into their family home. Of course, he didn't live here but still he needed to know what happened here. "Go back, Rebekah. Who chose who over you and who's moving into our house, love?" he asked, confused and curious all the same.

"Katherine. Elijah asked her to move in" Rebekah explained, frustrated. "And she chose Caroline over me. I mean-

Klaus cut her off easily at the mention of Caroline. "What about Caroline?" he asked immediately.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Why do I even bother?" she muttered under her breath. "The girls were all going out and when they invited me, I said I'd only go if Caroline wasn't invited and then she said, fine have a great night at home then" the blonde imitated with a disgusting expression on her face. "At least I won't be having a blooding hangover in the morning" she murmured in annoyance.

Klaus' head snapped at that. "Where are they gone?" he asked.

"Clubbing, Nik" she said, stating the obvious.

"I don't have time for your games Rebekah. Where. Did. They. Go?" he growled furiously.

Rebekah watched as her brother all but ran upstairs after she told him the exact location of the girls. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

 _Her whipped brothers._

At least, Kol was a free spirit.

Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose, tiredly. "Whatever I did, Niklaus, it is for your betterment" he explained for the hundredth time as his brother bombarded him with questions about why he had asked Katherine to move in. "I promised you that I would help you get Caroline and I intend to do so but please stop worrying" he implored as he kept his gaze on a report in front of him in his study.

"I don't know what you're doing Elijah but, I'm trusting you and, I hope you know what that means" Klaus said, barely restraining his frustration as he left the room.

Running a hand over his face, Elijah dropped the report on his desk and loosened his tie. He had known Caroline since they were just children and doing what he was doing to her, seemed so wrong to him but then again, seeing his brother in agony left him more helpless.

In his heart, though, he knew he would never forgive himself for causing such misery to Caroline in her time of need.

He got her fired. He was about to get her evicted and he had only asked Katherine to move in with him so quickly because he knew that his girlfriend would easily move Caroline into her own apartment, if the situation ever rose.

He felt guilty and knew it was wrong yet he also knew it was necessary.

"Maybe you should slow down, Care" Elena voiced her concern as she watched her friend order another round of shots.

Caroline giggled, intoxicated, before draping her arm across her friend's shoulder. "Loosen up, Elena" she slurred in her words. "My husband died, I rejected my best friend so he hates me and so does his family and _mine_ , apparently and I'm officially going through the worst time of my life" she stated with a humorless laugh.

Katherine gave Elena a warning glance before pushing, another, tequila shot towards her friend. "Which is we're all going to take another shot" she announced and before all of them, Caroline had her shot downed. "I need to touch up, Bon will you come with me?" Kat asked giving her friend a subtle look.

"Yeah" Bonnie said, standing up and nodding at Elena to stay with Caroline.

Once the girls were gone, Caroline continued slurring out an occasional fact or _something._ "Wanna know a secret, 'Lena?" Caroline asked, giggling. "I'm going to be homeless in a couple of weeks!" she exclaimed laughing without waiting for her friend's reply.

Elena's eyes widened at that. "Car- before she could complete her sentence, though, she saw a male hand reach out and snatch the shot glass out of Caroline's hand. She turned to look at Klaus looming over them with dark eyes.

"I think you've had enough for today, love" he stated firmly.

Caroline squinted her eyes at him and cocked her head at one side as if trying to figure him out. "Kol?" she guessed before shaking her head. "Nik?" she asked, adjusting to the lighting and smiling at him. "Join us Nik. It's sooo fun" she murmured incoherently.

Klaus gave a look to Elena before shaking his head. "That's it. Up you go. I'm taking you home" he declared and helped her stand up. Once she was standing, Klaus picked her up in his arms and Caroline immediately wrapped her arms around his neck while letting out a chuckle.

"The world is spinning!" she exclaimed, wiggling her legs a little.

Klaus sighed before looking towards the sky, as if in prayer. _God help him._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **A/N: shout out to jordanbear for all her heartwarming messages and reviews. thank you so much! reading your thoughts makes my day! love you!**

Taking Caroline out of the nightclub had been easy but the harder task had been getting her into his car and then towards her house. The real problem only started when she started throwing herself at him, kissing his cheeks then his throat and her torture on him began that way.

He gripped the steering while so tight that he was sure it might snap if his white knuckles were anything to go by.

He sighed loudly as Caroline kissed and nipped her way down the column of his throat. "Caroline, sweetheart…" he groaned as she bit on his skin lightly, leaving a red mark over the surface.

" _Niiik!_ _You were always my favorite"_ she sung loudly, humming to herself as she placed sloppy kisses over his neck and face, nibbling at the mole on his neck. He sighed loudly before taking a sharp turn and pulling the car over to the side of the road.

"That's it" he said, ticking his jaw. He completely removed her hands from his neck and pulled in a deep breath as he controlled the urge to let her continue. As much as he wanted to, he knew that she was absolutely wasted and would come to regret it the next morning. Besides when they finally got together for the first time, he was going to make sure she remembered it her whole life.

So them having sex when she was almost out of her senses was a big no-no.

Carefully untangling her hands and arms from around his neck, he held them together in his hands while Caroline continued to look up at him with her big, blue eyes full of innocence and childish confusion.

Taking another deep breath, he gave her a small indulgent smile. "Sweetheart, you're drunk" he stated as soothingly as he could.

Caroline nodded before bursting into a fit of giggles. "I know!" she said with a wide smile stretched across her face. "It's so fun" she added before wiggling around trying to get her hands free from Klaus who had them in his iron grip.

When she continued trying to struggle, Klaus sighed losing his patience and let go of her hands only to untie his tie from his neck and pull it loose before using it to tie her hands together.

"Nik! I didn't know you were into _this_ stuff" Caroline said mischievously with a shy smirk on her face.

Klaus' eyes widened and his mouth dropped open at her innuendo and he gaped like a fish out of water before shutting his mouth and putting the car into gear. "I'll untie you once we reach home" he said shortly, trying to keep his mind at peace.

"Yes officer" Caroline mocked him back, in a sensual low voice.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and instead of driving to her apartment; he wanted to go over to his own penthouse. One reason being that it was closer and secondly he'd be able to make sure she was alright there.

But that wouldn't have gone well with her. So, testing his patience, he drove to her apartment and reached there in record time, all the while as Caroline hummed incoherent thoughts out loud.

With the blessing of some higher power, he made it to her apartment door and opened it easily with her in his arms, swinging her legs around. Walking inside, he went straight towards her bedroom and braced himself before stepping inside.

It was the one part of her apartment he had never once seen and he never wanted to see. Solely because it was the very room she had shared with Enzo so many times while he had rotted away in his life.

But for her, he not only stepped inside but settled her in bed and tucked her in properly before checking the drawers for a painkiller for her. When he was unsuccessful in finding one, he gently shook her.

"Sweetheart, where do you keep your medicines?" he asked gently, tucking her hair behind her ear lovingly.

Caroline smiled and mumbled something incoherent in her sleep. Her words resembled kitchen so with a sigh, he went to the kitchen and started his search of the medicines. Soon enough he found some Advil and took it to the room with a bottle of water.

Placing them both on the bedside table, he was about to head out of the room when Caroline started wiggling around in bed, groaning. "Take this off or I will rip it!" she grumbled in her sleep, pulling at her skintight dress.

Gulping Klaus walked over to her and gently pulled her into a sitting position. "Sweetheart, I'll unzip this for you but after that you have to change for yourself" he told her and she swayed around before nodding.

Running his fingers down to the base of her neck, he found the zipper of the dress and swept her hair to one side before pulling the zip down slowly revealing inch by inch her beautiful smooth skin. It took all of his self control not to drag his lips at the bare skin but he managed.

Stopping at the end of her back, right above her tail bone, he placed a kiss on top of her head to inhale her scent. "There" he breathed out.

"My pjs are in the washing machine" Caroline giggled in reply before flopping back down on the bed, on her stomach, giving her back – _naked back –_ to him.

Taking another deep breath Klaus pulled his own shirt over his head before tossing it on the bed. "Come on, up you get Caroline" he said with seriousness in his tone. He slowly went forward and removed her dress. First from her arms and then pulled it down to her chest. He was grateful that her chest faced away from him because he wasn't sure if he would've been able to resist otherwise.

Pulling the dress free from her legs though seemed the hardest but he managed to get it done. But not before running his hands down her smooth, lean legs. After all, he was in no way a saint.

Once she was out of the dress, he quickly got her into his own white, button down shirt and closed it up before tucking her back in bed.

"It smells nice. Like… _you_ , Nik" Caroline commented, sniffing the collar of the shirt with a dreamy smile on her face. "You smell so _nice_ Nik. I could smell you all day" she blurted out, drunk beyond belief.

Only for a second, Klaus let the confusion of her statement appear on his face before he shook his head and cleared all those thoughts. He sat down next to her on the edge of the bed.

"Why do you actually not want to marry me, Caroline?" he asked, quietly. "Am I truly so despicable to you?" he added, desperately.

Caroline stiffened at that. "Because I'm a _failure_ Nik and everyone with me falls and sinks to the bottom" she said, slurring through most of her words. "I would say yes to you a million times but I could never be _that_ selfish with you" she said letting out an adorable giggle. "You can get a model or an actress or someone famous to be with you. I'm just me. The worthless, shallow Caroline…" she hiccupped and stopped her rambling before blindly turning to him.

"Am I Forbes now that my husband is dead?" she asked, frowning. "I _killed Enzooo_!" she wailed flopping down on the bed forcefully.

Blown away by her confession, he shook his head and quickly chose to bring her back to the subject. "I'd like you to become a Mikaelson" he said, peering at her through his thick lashes.

"I'd ruin everything. Your life, our friendship and maybe I'd even get you bankrupt. You know how unlucky I am" she garbled waving her hands around for effect. "Don't waste your time on me, Nikkkk. I'm a hopeless case. Nothing can f-fix _me_ " she said, laughing but he could clearly notice the tears running down her face.

Unable to resist, he pulled her to him and let her bury her face into his chest. "Enzo's dead" she muttered as more tears wet his under shirt and her nimble fingers wrapped around the base of his neck. "Nik, why can't I be happy? Is it too much to ask for?" she questioned, hurt by her own luck.

At that moment, Klaus wanted nothing more than to bring her all the happiness in the world at her feet but if there was one thing even he couldn't deny, it was that money couldn't buy happiness. Especially not for Caroline Forbes.

"Shh! Sweetheart, it'll be alright" he murmured, soothingly knowing he would do everything in his power to make sure that everything in Caroline's life did indeed turn out alright. There was no way she would be allowed to remain like this all her life.

"Everything's done for" she said, settling against him. "I'm losing everything. I lost Enzo, my happiness, my job, my parents, my friends and now my house too" she complained childishly and let out a hollow, drunk laugh.

Running his hands through her hair, he tried to calm her down but it didn't work so he kissed the top of her head.

"This house was all I had left of him" she murmured sadly gesturing wildly with her hands until they fell limply at her sides and she stared at Klaus, poking one dimple at his face. "You're all I have left now" she said giving him a lazy, intoxicated smile before dozing off in his arms.

Her reasons to not marry him brought tears to his eyes. Did she care so much about him that she would let herself suffer and keep him happy? No one cared _that_ much about him. Not even his own family.

Her drunk rambling didn't deter him from going after her. If anything, it only confirmed his earlier thoughts and made him fall in love with her a little more, if even possible.

"I'm sure she's okay, Katherine" Bonnie said, trying to calm the curly brunette who was pacing angrily.

She snorted at that. "Of course you're going to say that now that Saint Elena has let her go off with that … that _douche bag"_ she hissed spitefully, thinking of 101 ways to kill Elena and Klaus both with one stone.

"It's Klaus. He's her best friend" Elena pointed out, sullenly. "If she's safe with anyone it's him" she commented, knowingly.

Katherine whipped so fast that Bonnie almost feared for the brunette's neck. "The same best friend who is pushing her in a corner to marry him" she pointed out, angrily. "The same best friend she _rejected_ " she sneered.

"Guys!" Bonnie said, coming between them. "Break it. Fighting isn't going to do us any good right now" she said, calmly.

"Tell her to stop interfering in Caroline's life" Elena jabbed, snidely.

Katherine narrowed her accusatory glare at Elena. "Excuse me?" she asked, affronted by the blame.

"You heard me" Elena said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I get that you're worried for Caroline. _We all are_ " she started, fervently. "But you should know that pulling her away from Klaus will only leave her stranded. Klaus loves her more than anyone in the world- she was cut off by Katherine who glared at her.

"Her husband just died! He should have more class than to force her into marriage!" she all but yelled at the straight haired girl in front of her.

Elena rolled her eyes at that. "He should but maybe he just doesn't want to see her break. Maybe he wants her to focus every emotion she is feeling into anger and project it on him" she guessed, shaking her head. "Anger is better than confusion, Kat" she said, softly, remembering her own past. "We all know that and he does too. Maybe he can't bear to watch her fall apart and he thinks that marriage will make her stable" she reasoned, soundly.

Katherine scoffed but generally kept silent which meant that she agreed with Elena.

"You know, Caroline just told me that she's going to be homeless in a couple of days" she admitted watching the surprise and shock evident on everyone's face. "She rambled in her drunken haze actually" she joked with a little, sad laugh.

"What?" Katherine spluttered in shock. "Sh- She didn't tell me anything" she admitted hurt and shocked.

"Why would she? She's Caroline" Bonnie commented, lowly. "She deals with all her problems herself"

Katherine sunk down in the barstool next to her and ran a shaky hand through her curls. Elena placed a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly. "Katherine, I know you care about her but have you ever considered that Klaus might actually be the best option for her?" she asked, carefully.

Sure they all didn't like Klaus but Caroline did. And he wasn't an ass to her, either. To be honest, he cared about her far more than anyone ever had. His affection sometimes even was rivaling that of Enzo's.

"I'm going to call her at eight in the morning and not one second later and if she's _anywhere_ near _his_ bed, I will kill him with my bare heads" Katherine swore, colorfully, clenching her fists tightly, hating how right Elena sounded.

Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, she grabbed the nearest shot glass and downed it without a second thought.

 _If Klaus thought Katherine would let him win like this, he had another thing coming his way._

Elijah knew that asking Katherine to move in with him was a… _tough_ decision. He wouldn't call it bad because he wanted to do it at some point in their relationship but he'd only acted on his impulse earlier for his brother. _For Niklaus and against Caroline._

He'd felt guilt over his actions but his love for his brother always won over.

Right now, however, Katherine's antics were driving him crazy. He'd received four prank calls from her in the past hour and he wasn't sure why she was trying to pretend to be J.K Rowling when she was clearly calling from her own number.

His unasked question was answered when he received the next call on his phone from a miserable Bonnie who was clearly struggling to handle the two clearly intoxicated sisters. When he'd insisted that she drive the three of them to the manor where they could all stay for the night, he'd been assigned another duty.

"I don't think I can drive, Elijah. I had a couple of drinks with Caroline before Klaus took her home" she'd replied and Elijah wasn't surprised to be informed that his younger brother had already swept Caroline away.

So that pushed him to his current predicament where he called his darling baby sister and Kol for some needed help. He knew that he couldn't leave his study now. Not when he had so much office work already.

"This is unbelievable!" Rebekah snapped as she sat in Kol's car while he drove. "Those girls chose Caroline over me and now I'm stuck being their bloody chauffer because Elijah wants me to safely deliver his whore and her posse to his doorstep" she growled, rolling her eyes.

Kol smirked. "I can smell something burning" he sang along, teasingly.

"And I can see your teeth knocked out of your mouth in the next two minutes if you don't shut it!" she warned, threateningly but Kol remained unfazed.

"Green isn't your color, Bekah" Kol cooed, jokingly. "Maybe you should be a bit more careful in choosing your side. If you can't beat them, join them Rebekah" he said, mysteriously.

She considered his words for a moment before turning to face him. "Are you asking me to choose between our brother and Caroline?" she asked with barely concealed disdain. "Do you really feel no sympathy for Nik?" she wondered out loud, confused by her younger brother's behavior.

Kol raised an eyebrow at that. "Sympathy? For Nik?" he asked, surprised.

"The whole bloody world knows he's been in love with that girl since he was sixteen and even after all the attention and affection he doted on her, she chose Enzo. Now even after Enzo's death, he has stayed by her side against everyone and again she rejects him" she snapped, feeling anger, frustration and sadness all at once.

"Your world really does revolve around Nik, doesn't it?" Kol said with a mocking laugh. "Rebekah, Caroline's husband died. _Her husband._ Whom she loved for years. He just died." He said, unbelievingly. "Her whole world has been turned upside down and the only thing everyone's worried about is her marriage, her life. But what about her happiness?" he questioned, turning the tables on his sister. "Nik chose not to act over his feelings when she chose Enzo. You know as well as I do that there was a time when Caroline would've swooned at even the slightest attention from Nik" he reminisced, referring to their early teenage years when Caroline did in fact harbor a crush on their brother. But Klaus being himself never paid her any attention. "He was late. Too late" he commented, dryly. "But now when he has the opportunity, he's rushing it and he will muck things up" Kol grumbled, annoyed that he had to explain everything. "This time, if he does, he'll lose her friendship too"

Hearing the end of his rant, Rebekah stayed quiet and looked down at her hands.

"Well, we're here" he said, cutting the engine of the car.

Quickly getting out of the car, Kol helped the two drunken girls first in the backseat and then Bonnie who seemed both sheepish and utterly exhausted.

"Thanks for coming to pick us up, guys" she said, sighing as she clicked Elena and Katherine's seatbelt.

Kol smirked at Bonnie. "Anytime, darling. Although I'm hurt you went out alone without me" he fake-pouted at which Rebekah and Bonnie rolled their eyes.

"Yes. But being uninvited hurts more. Trust me on that one, Kol" Rebekah retorted bitterly, making Bonnie wince slightly. "And who are we to deny you free rides. Of course, whatever Elijah says we have to do and Elijah says whatever his strumpet tells him to" she muttered sullenly.

"Yeah keep treating your friends like shit and that's going to happen" Bonnie snapped back, hurt by Rebekah's remark about Katherine.

Rebekah glared hard but pressed her lips together, tightly.

"Now now girls! No fighting in the car. Or else you'll be given a time out" he admonished playfully.

Bonnie sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. "You can drop us all off at my apartment" she said, petulantly.

Kol casted a sideways look towards Rebekah, urging her to apologize. "I'm sorry" Rebekah said with a long suffering sigh.

Bonnie took a moment to respond. "It's okay" she said, just as shortly.

Kol smiled cheekily at that and thrummed the steering wheel. "Now that everything's settled, let's get back to the manor" he said, not hearing anymore arguments.

 _What all of them didn't know was that they were all going to have a_ very _interesting morning the next day._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

" _Do you remember anything from last night Caroline?" Rebekah asked the other blonde with attentive eyes, waiting for an answer._

 _Caroline groaned and massaged her scalp, closing her eyes to ease some of the throbbing pain. "I remember drowning in vodka during Kol's stupid game of truth and dare but that's about it" she said, shrugging._

 _Rebekah let a small smirk overtake her face and at that moment, Caroline opened her eyes to peak at her friend._

" _Why?" she asked, cautiously. "What did I do, Rebekah?" she asked, worriedly, her eyes going wide in alarm._

 _Rebekah smirked, fully, not being as hung over as Caroline._

" _God! Will you just tell me or do I have to go to Nik?" she threatened half seriously but Rebekah burst into laughter at that._

" _Trust me, Caroline, you won't go to Nik with this" she retorted mysteriously, making Caroline even more anxious._

 _Caroline's eyes were wide as saucers at that point. "Did I do something to him? Is he okay?" she asked, agitatedly chewing on her thumbnail._

 _Deciding to take some pity on the blonde, Rebekah relented and sighed. "He doesn't know of this but I'd like it if you would tell him" she said, softly before zeroing her gaze on Caroline. "You like him don't you?" she questioned, knowingly._

 _There was a flicker of embarrassment in Caroline's eyes before she covered it up. "He's my best friend. What do you think?" she asked, with an uninterested expression on her face._

" _I would have believed you if you hadn't confessed your undying love for Nik last night" Rebekah answered back, cleverly. "Tell me Caroline, why don't you tell him? Maybe he likes you back?" she probed, with narrowed eyes._

" _Firstly my relationship with him is none of your business" Caroline snapped, irritably. "Secondly, you've clearly misunderstood the whole situation" she said, trying to justify herself._

 _Rebekah glared her at that. "Cut the crap Caroline" she interrupted, hotly. "I know everything. You all but cried it to me last night" she reminded her friend. "I'm not saying its good or bad. I'm just saying that you should tell Nik that you like him more than a friend" she suggested, trying to sound nonchalant._

" _Fine. I like him. Or used to like him" she confessed, half heartedly. "But you have to promise not to tell him. Rebekah I told you only because I trusted you and I still do" she said quickly with a cautious glint in her eyes. "Bekah please, this is my secret to keep or to tell" she implored; worried that Rebekah would tell her brother._

" _Alright I won't tell him but I suggest you tell him before it's too late" she recommended with careful eyes. "The decade dance is in two weeks. If you tell him maybe the both of you can go together. Of course that'll only happen if you gather your guts and tell him before he takes someone else as his plus one" she reasoned with a disapproving glare on her face._

 _Caroline smiled. "It was just a silly crush Bekah. Besides I don't want to jeopardize my friendship with him just because of some stupid- she was cut off by the other blonde before she could complete her sentence._

" _Are you saying that your feelings for Nik are just temporary?" she asked sharply._

 _Caroline rolled her eyes. "I'm saying that my friendship with Nik is more important than some fickle passing fancy as you call it" she said, dismissing any further conversation about the topic. "Now it's still way too early to talk about this and I am way too hung over to go over this but I promise I'll consider your suggestion" she replied quickly before burying her head in the pillows._

Katherine groaned as she heard clattering noises ringing above her head.

"Ugh! Make it stop. My head is splitting into pieces" she complained, pulling the pillow over her head.

Elijah raised his eyebrow and barely refrained from taking his pillow from her hands when he saw how brutally she was mutilating it. "Your head should be just fine if you take the medicines placed on the bedside table" he replied as he opened another drawer in his wardrobe.

"Can't you just stay quiet Elijah?" Katherine said, her voice muffled but the annoyance and fatigue clear in it.

He didn't even turn to face her on that comment instead he just scoffed. "Unlike you, Katerina, I have work to do which requires me to be up at nine in the morning" he replied tensely.

Katherine didn't respond for a few seconds before her head turned up and she glared him through her wild, untamed curls. "What is- she stopped abruptly and scrambled to look at the clock on the bedside table, pushing away the medicine and bottle of water to the floor, in the process. "Shit. Shit. Shit!" she cursed loudly.

Elijah's eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "Is everything al- he barely completed his sentence before Katherine was looking up at him with pleading eyes which lead him to believe she needed something from him again.

He sighed loudly. "What is it?" he asked, tiredly.

"Klaus took Caroline home last night while she was drunk out of her ass" she told him as if he wouldn't already know. "Elena let him take her. I wouldn't have but I promised to check up on her in the morning." She said and on cue looked up at him amiably.

"If she's with Niklaus, she'll be quite alright" he reassured her but she shook her head.

"That's not what I'm worried about" she said tersely, playing with a lock of her curly hair. She looked up and locked eyes with Elijah whose eyes widened when he understood her meaning.

Elijah was baffled by her thoughts. "My brother may be a lot of things but he would never force himself on a woman. Much less his closest friend" he said firmly, feeling affronted by even thinking such things.

"It's Caroline that's why I'm worried" she said, trying to justify her suspicion.

" _Especially Caroline_ " Elijah emphasized strictly. "He would never hurt her" he said, shaking his head.

"You don't know that Elijah" Katherine said with a scoff.

"Don't you think you're judging Niklaus too harshly?" he questioned rhetorically. "Frankly Katerina it is none of your business nor is it anyone else's. Niklaus and Caroline are two adults and they have the right to decide for themselves what is good for them and what isn't" he said a bit too harshly, judging by the look on Katherine's face.

Katherine seemed affronted at his words and shook her head. "You want them to end up together don't you?" she asked, reading him like an open book. "Oh my God! You do!" she accused angrily.

"I simply want what's best for both of them" he tried to justify.

"He's not the best for her!" Katherine yelled and winced at her raw voice. She was so sick and tired of everyone telling her that Klaus was the best option for Caroline.

Before Elijah could reply, the door to Elijah's room opened and Kol entered inside shirtless with his hair rumpled and an annoyed expression pasted on his face.

"I know that Elijah's already asked you to move in but if you don't keep it down, I swear to God I'm going to kick out not only you but also your suited boyfriend" he groaned, shaking his head.

Elijah sighed while the brunette only rolled her eyes. "We apologize for the noise but do get out of my room, Kol" Elijah said, the annoyance evident in his voice.

"With pleasure" Kol hissed, poking out his tongue childishly. "And honestly can't all you morons realize that you're going to ruin their friendship if you keep interfering. Just leave them be. They're not in high school anymore" he said with a casual shrug and walked out of the room.

Elijah and Katherine both looked at each other and then back at the closed door, focusing on Kol's words.

"I'll see you later" Elijah mumbled quietly as he too left the room quickly.

Klaus woke up to a ticklish feeling over his face. He groaned and peeked through his eyes to see the sunlight shining in the room through the lightly opened curtains and Caroline hovering over him with a her blonde hair, freely tickling over his face. "Wake up, Nik" she said, softly, shaking him lightly.

He closed his eyes completely and pulled her pillow over his head, inhaling her scent. "A couple of more minutes, love" he answered honestly wanting to delay the inevitable conversation they were going to have.

She heard her huff in annoyance before he felt a chilling sensation over the upper half of his body. He snapped his open and gaped just as he saw Caroline holding an empty jug in her hand. He sat up straight and shook his head, making water droplets spew in all directions especially towards Caroline who squealed and tried to back away from him but he grabbed her wrists hurriedly.

"Not so fast, love" he said with a cruel smirk, pulling her down on the wet bed, sliding her body under his own.

" _Eeeekh!_ " she squealed out loud. "Get away" she said, trying to push him away to no avail. "Don't you dare..." she warned with wide eyes, catching his intentions very quickly.

He only grinned and rubbed his face and wet hair on her neck and face, making her just as wet as him.

"There you go, sweetheart. All good, isn't it?" he asked with a rather smug grin on his face as he leaned back in the bed, placing his arms behind his head.

Caroline glared him for about ten seconds before she burst out in laughter at the sight of him.

Klaus smiled warmly watching her laugh and he knew then that he had to paint the sight when he got back home.

Shaking her head, Caroline got up from the bed and tossed him a towel. "I'm waiting for you in the kitchen. Freshen up, I'll warm up the breakfast" she dictated with a serious look on her face.

"Yes ma'am" he said with nod.

Fifteen minutes later, Caroline made a plate of steaming eggs ready with coffee brewing in the machine. She also placed a stack of pancakes in a dish, placing it in the microwave as she diced strawberries for Klaus because she knew that Klaus always liked a heavy breakfast.

Just as she finished placing the chopped fruits in a bowl, the door bell rang and she winced at the sharpness of it as it blasted her eardrum. "Coming!" she called out loudly.

She ran to the door and pulled it open with a smile, faltering slightly when she saw Elijah on the other side. "Um, Elijah, hi" she said awkwardly. "Come in"

He stepped in gracefully with a nod of his head. "Good morning, Caroline" he greeted with a light smile. "I apologize for barging in on you without any warning" he said, looking around.

"It's okay Elijah. Come sit" she said, trying not to over think the situation. She didn't mind having him here but it was just the fact that he rarely ever came to visit her. She chose to approach the subject when he was sitting in her living room. "Is this about Nik being here?" she asked, biting her lip.

"Is he still here?" Elijah asked, looking around. "I don't know how to ask this but I'm afraid it's necessary. He didn't do… anything?" he questioned, cringing at his own words.

Caroline frowned before her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in shock. "Nik is my best friend. Regardless of whatever differences we have, he would never hurt me!" she said, affronted by his thoughts as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, Katerina said you were drunk and Niklaus took you home…" he trailed off deliberately.

"That's what friends do. They help each other. It doesn't mean he was going to harm me in any way" she defended Klaus, feeling her anger rising. No one talked about her best friend like that. Sure she could say anything to him but no one else. "Elijah, I'm honestly surprised you would say such a thing. I'm sorry but if this is the reason you are here I'm disappointed" she snapped heatedly.

"I wanted to make sure you were safe" he said, repeating his girlfriend's words.

"Yes, well as long as I'm with Nik, I'm safe" she answered back without any hesitance.

Elijah let a small smile overtake his features as he thought her words over again and again. He was glad her thoughts were in the right direction.

"Caroline, if I may ask you, why do you continue to push Niklaus away?" he asked, gently yet the exasperation in his tone was visible.

Caroline sighed. So much for a quiet and peaceful morning. "Look, Elijah, Klaus is my best friend and I don't want to ruin my friendship with _just_ because of him wanting to make my life better" she explained and frowned. _That sounded much better in her head._ "I won't… I can't let him do this to himself. Sacrifices are one thing in friendship but giving up his life for me? That's not fair to him" she shook her head, unwilling to accept that.

"Maybe he isn't choosing a better life for you" Elijah mused out loud with a hint of a smile on his face. "Maybe he's doing it to eradicate his own loneliness" he said with a certain softness that had Caroline frowning.

"I don't understand…" she mumbled, lost and confused.

"I do not want to influence your decision nor your life but just think about who he has in his life except you and my brothers and sister?" he inquired before standing up and walking to her. "And just for your information, Niklaus likes apples in his breakfast" he commented with mirth in his eyes as he gazed at her messy kitchenette island.

He turned back and headed towards the main door, only to stop when he heard her voice. Small but clear. "He likes strawberries more" she said, quietly. Elijah smiled broadly as she confirmed his suspicions but she couldn't see that as he walked out of her apartment with a pleasant expression on his face.

 _Maybe his brother wouldn't remain alone, after all._

Mechanically, Caroline walked back into the kitchen thinking over Elijah's words. Would Klaus really be doing this for her or himself, if she let him?

Klaus could sense the awkwardness the moment, he stepped into her kitchenette.

"Everything alright, love?" he asked warily looking around as he sat on the stool.

"I've been doing some thinking" Caroline started which made Klaus smirk.

"God help us" he muttered, teasingly, which earned him a murderous glare. "Do enlighten me sweetheart" he insisted.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I've thought about what you said and I know that this is probably going to end up in disaster but okay" she breathed out, hurriedly, before she could back out.

Klaus' eyes widened. " _Okay_?" he questioned, unsure.

"Okay. I will marry you" she concluded, biting her lip.

His eyes lit up and a smile automatically formed on his face. Caroline couldn't help but smile at the sight too.

"But I have a condition"

With those five words, Klaus came back down to Earth. "Go on" he said, listening closely.

"First, you have to give me three months" she demanded, firmly, while making herself busy with placing his breakfast in front of him. "Three months to get myself back on my feet and that means _without_ your help" she clarified.

"Alright" he agreed reluctantly. He was sure of one thing, though, these three months were going to be torture. To have her but to not have her completely.

" _Secondly"_ she started, bringing his attention back to her. "I don't want there to be _any_ changes between us. No secrets. Ever" she demanded, looking at him sincerely. "Even if we get married, we remain best friends before anything"

Klaus could sense her biggest worry then. She was afraid of losing their friendship. He smiled and grasped her hand in his, making her stop all movements. "No hesitation. No secrets" he promised, kissing her knuckles.

"Lastly, we're going to sign a prenup which will specify that whatever is yours remains _yours_ forever" she said, firmly. "I don't want anyone to think I'm after your money" she spoke up in a small voice.

Klaus fumed at the last point. "I know you're not out for my money Caroline but whatever I have it's yours" he stated, firmly. "A marriage between us will not change anything. What's mine is yours even when we're not married. So there won't be any prenup" he declared, angrily.

"Klau- she tried to intervene but he spoke up above her.

"I've agreed to all your terms, sweetheart but I am _not_ going to sign any agreement which even hints that I don't trust you" he reasoned, hotly. "I trust you completely and blindly." He couldn't believe she thought that he would actually agree to that.

Caroline glared him and crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine. If there's no prenup then there's no wedding" she argued, stubbornly.

Klaus glared her too before sighing. "Stubborn woman" he muttered under his breath as he shook his head. "Alright, I agree with all your terms and conditions" he agreed rather quickly which made Caroline frown. She had been expecting a big argument and maybe even a fight but he agreed with barely any fuss.

"What's going on in your evil mind?" she asked, with narrowed eyes.

Klaus shrugged innocently as he picked up the fork and began eating his way through breakfast, moaning at every bite. "This food is delicious" he complimented with a mouthful. "I need to ask you a question, love" he told her, casually. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "How are you not hung over and heaving over the basket I placed beside you in bed?"

Caroline chuckled, softly. "Greasy breakfast and lots of coffee equals perfectly normal health" she replied before taking an apple and biting into it. "By the way, Elijah came while you were in the shower" she told her.

Klaus noticed the way she stiffened at his mention. "What did he say, love?" he asked, cautiously.

"Nothing. I think he wanted you back at the office" she murmured, softly. "You should go. Work and do stuff" she said, suddenly.

He nodded. "I will be leaving but before that I have something important to do" he declared and Caroline looked up at him to see him pulling out a ring from his inner suit jacket. "Your hand, sweetheart?" he questioned, holding out his own hand for her.

Caroline placed her hand in his and watched as he slid the massive diamond ring into her finger. It was beautiful and exactly what she expected Klaus would give to his wife.

"Wait, were you carrying this around with you the whole time?" she questioned, shocked. "Were you so impatient that whenever you find any girl you'd just put it on her finger?" she asked, only teasingly, as she watched Klaus lightly trace the ring with his fingers.

"Yes I was" he said, simply. "But to answer your second question, no. I was impatient but never had any doubt of who I wanted" he explained, staring at her earnestly as if trying to convey the truthfulness of his feelings by the depth and sincerity of his eyes.

"Do you like it?" he asked, almost anxiously, as he looked at her for any reaction.

Caroline seemed pensive as she dropped her gaze to the massive ring on her finger. It was absolutely gorgeous with its patented cushion-cut, diamond surrounded by bead-set diamonds which evoked the glamour of the Edwardian period and a few years back she would've been over the moon to receive but now she felt that maybe it was a bit too much.

Though looking at the nervous glint in Klaus' eyes, she gave him a blinding smile and nodded.

"It's beautiful" she replied, knowing she could never break his heart to say that it wasn't maybe her taste.

The smile Klaus gave her in return almost made her day.

"Well, sweetheart, I have to leave now" Klaus said, after he cleaned up and got dressed. "But I want you to join me for dinner- he was cut off before he could even complete his sentence.

"Didn't we discuss all we need to, already?" Caroline asked, confused.

Klaus chuckled at that. "Sweetheart, there's nothing wrong with a man trying to have a nice dinner with his future wife" he teased, making her skin flush into a lovely pink shade. "Besides, we still have to decide a lot of things- he was cut off again.

"Like?" Caroline probed.

" _Like_ who's going to tell Rebekah" he smirked at her paled expression. "Yes, exactly" he grimaced thinking about how his sister's overexcitement would get so unbearable for them.

"She's your sister" she pointed out, feebly.

Klaus raised an eyebrow at that. "Soon to be yours too, love" he said back, lightly, before cupping her face in his hands. "Don't worry. We'll leave the difficult bits to Elijah" he joked before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you tonight. Have a good day, sweetheart" he cooed before backing away and out of her apartment.

"Wait, what do I tell Katherine?" She asked, panicking, thinking about her friend's reaction. She knew that out of everyone Katherine was the one who hated Klaus the most.

Klaus only called back. "Your friend, not mine" he hollered back as he walked away.

Caroline cursed under her breath as she headed back towards the kitchen to clean up _his_ mess.

As soon as Klaus had set foot in the office, everyone could tell there was something wrong with him.

Firstly, he never had a smile on his face and never showed any emotion other than anger. Secondly, he kept humming to himself as the he rode the elevator up to the top floor, to his office. Thirdly, he _actually_ nodded back at everyone who greeted him a simple, 'good morning sir'.

"I'm assuming your night went well" Elijah said, as he watched his brother get settled into his office while he stood near the doorway.

Klaus smirked at that. "You would know since you came to check up on me" he answered back, simply, without any malice or hesitation. "There's no need to hover in the doorway. You can sit" he said which surprised Elijah the most. Klaus was never one to let his siblings stay at his office for long but today… _Today_ seemed like an exception.

 _Something was definitely not right._

 _Or maybe… something was finally right!_

"Your sudden happiness wouldn't have anything to do Miss Forbes, would it?" he asked knowingly.

Klaus only gave him a huge, wolfish grin in return as he opened his laptop. "Next time I'd advise you not to talk to her without my presence, Elijah." He warned lightly, keeping his gaze away from his brother.

Elijah remained unfazed by his younger brother's threats though. "I assume you want me to do something"

"I didn't say anything" Klaus defended, not denying anything either.

The elder Mikaelson raised an elegant eyebrow. "You would hardly invite me to sit unless you wanted to do your dirty work, Niklaus. So let's get it over with" he told him, dryly, not surprised by his brother's behavior.

"Seeing as you are the most responsible person in our family, I'd like to give you another responsibility, Elijah" Klaus started with a smug smirk on his face.

"What might that be?" Elijah asked back, cautiously.

Klaus' smile widened, showing his dimples. "Break the news of my wedding to the world"

"I believe congratulations are in order" Bill said to his wife as he entered their living room.

Liz looked confused as she looked up to see her husband smiling like he hadn't in ages. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Caroline accepted Klaus' proposal" he announced with a smile on his face.

"What? How… When did this happen? Who told you?" Liz rambled on, her excitement increasing with every moment.

Bill chuckled as he sat down. "Surprisingly it was Rebekah Mikaelson who called with the good news. She was a bit upset that Caroline or Klaus didn't call her, themselves but overall she sounded happy" he informed her, casually.

"That sounds nice" Liz murmured, distractedly.

Bill frowned. "What is it?" he asked.

"I'm just confused why Caroline hasn't called her yet and told us the news herself" Liz replied, tensely. "Do you think she's still mad at us?"

Bill tensed for a moment before steeling himself. "She can be as mad as she likes but what we did was for her betterment" he answered firmly. "She'll be happy and comfortable with Klaus. More than she's ever been with Enzo" he added, dismissively.

" _Nik! What are you doing?" Caroline asked as she barged into his room to see him relaxing on the bed with a sketchbook in hand while poor, young Kol and Rebekah sat on the floor, doing the work HE should've been doing._

 _She had called him two hours ago and asked him to help her with the prom decorations since his art skills were so much better than hers. And he'd agreed without much fuss as it was her but as she had come back to check on him, he was just laying there._

" _Come relax, Caroline. Kol and Rebekah will do the work I've told them to" Klaus said with a smirk as he looked to see Kol and Rebekah glaring him._

 _Caroline, however, planted her hands on her hips. "What do you have on them?" she asked, suspiciously, all the while as she looked over at the work Rebekah and Kol were doing. She might have to retouch a bit of Kol's work but Rebekah was doing good._

 _Klaus shrugged. "I simply have what they want"_

" _And what is that?" she asked with narrowed eyes._

 _Rebekah perked up at that. "Nik said you'd help me prepare for the Miss Mystic Competition" she spoke up with a bright smile on her face._

" _You're going to apply for that?" Caroline asked, surprised._

 _Rebekah nodded. "Since you've won it before and I'll win it this year, it'll stay in the family" she said, confidently. Caroline's heart melted at the family part. It felt great to be accepted as their family._

" _Of course. Don't worry you have it in the bag already" she winked before turning to Kol. "What did he promise you?" she asked, relaxing a bit._

 _Kol smirked deviously. "A date… with you" he answered, making both Caroline and Klaus jump up._

" _What?" they asked in unison._

" _We never agreed to that!" Klaus pointed out, fuming._

 _Caroline sighed, holding her hand up for Klaus to silence him. "Kol you do realize that I'm older than you" she pointed out._

" _All the better" Kol said, with a grin. "Only one date, Caroline. Think of it as me helping you" he offered, cunningly._

" _How is this you helping me?" she asked, perplexed._

 _Klaus who was quiet till then seemed annoyed as he made his way next to Caroline and draped his arm over her shoulders. "Yes Kol, please do elaborate" he quipped sarcastically._

 _Kol's smirk told them, they shouldn't have asked._

" _Well, since Nik is never going to ask you out, I'll be the Mikaelson brother you can date"_

 _Suffice it to say, there hadn't been anymore prom decorations for the next hour until Caroline and Rebekah drew both brothers apart._

 _ **A/N: Aaaaaand this is it! Sorry for the wait. I was just going through the reviews and one question that's been really common is that why is Caroline so weak. It's every person's way of handling grief. She's usually an independent, strong willed person but now she's breaking apart. Klaus and all of Caroline's family is trying to force Caroline towards Klaus because they never thought that Enzo was a good match for her 1) because of his financial conditions and 2) because they knew Klaus always loved her more. And it's the 21**_ _ **st**_ _ **century. No older times or anything but honestly some people still think this way. I've seen them, I've known them.**_

 _ **Lastly, it's all going to be a mess because everyone's trying to interfere but don't worry Caroline is going to come back with a bang. Just hang on tight for the ride.**_

 _ **Love you all. Take care.**_


	8. NOTE

Hello, my darlings!  
Yes I am alive and kicking even if the world tries to bring me down. Lol.

So I woke up today to my boyfriend yelling in my ear that I've been nominated for the KC awards. I'd like to say, first of all, **THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

My lovely readers, your affection has never ceased to amaze me and it never will. All the gratitude I show for your love will never be enough because you've never let me down and I consider you all my family. :")

A lot of people told me not to get too attached to you all but you've proved them all wrong by showing your dedication and love.

Regardless of whether I win or not, I just want you to know that I am forever in your debt for all your support. Throughout my sickness and my bad days and my good days, you've all been there from the beginning and just like that, your messages and encouragements have given me strength to fight through and survive everything.

I have so much respect for each and every one of you who reviews. Even the negative reviews because they show me that, ultimate perfection can never be achieved.

Also, my reason for being AWOL was again my health and studies. I didn't notify anyone about it because I didn't want anyone to worry but I'm all good now. Good as new, hopefully. ;)

But I've been receiving everyone's messages and emails but I've been unable to respond. Thank you so much again for asking after me.

As for the updates, they are on their way and will be out in a couple of hours hopefully.

Go check out every one of the nominees and don't forget to vote. Everyone is loaded with talent and I'm in awe of their creativity.

Lastly, instead of spreading hate and disdain in a world where there's already so much cruelty and spite, show love and affection to everyone. A smile, a nice compliment or a kind gesture here or there to everyone you see or meet.

Lots of words and love,  
Anna xx


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 _ **A/N:**_ **I honestly have no excuse for being MIA. I just can't write at the same pace as I used to before and with college now, everything's even more hectic. So much so that I have to re-read my own stories to remember what had happened before. But I promise not to give up on any of my stories aaaaand I'm sorry for not replying to any messages, I've just been drowning in work. But thank you so much for the love and support, it means a lot that you guys message me and check up on me. As for my health, I'm doing very well nowadays.**

 **Off to the story now!**

Caroline fidgeted and played with her thumbs as she tried to keep her eyes rooted in her lap, avoiding the questioning, accusatory and excited gazes of her friends Elena, Katherine and Rebekah.

Quickly getting frustrated with their gazes on her, she huffed before standing up and busying herself with cleaning the kitchen counter.

"I didn't invite you guys over so you could stand there and judge me" she said, annoyance clear in her words.

She heard the sound of footsteps behind her and turned to see Rebekah and Elena standing there with different expressions on their faces.

"I'm not judging. On the contrary, I'm just planning" Rebekah answered coolly, with a hint of excitement in her voice. "After all, my brother and _my_ best friend are getting married. That's going to require so much preparation but don't worry, I'm going to get started today" she rambled on, already getting in her planning phase.

Both Elena and Caroline turned to look at Rebekah in shock and horror.

"Rebekah, we haven't even decided on a date yet. Besides, it's still months away" Caroline replied as softly as she could, not wanting to ruin her friend's excitement.

"Three months will fly in a blink, darling." The blonde said, unfazed by Caroline's apparent lack of enthusiasm. "Besides, when Klaus Mikaelson gets married, the whole world has to know it" she finished off with a wink.

"O-okay" Elena butted in, sensing Caroline's panic at Rebekah's words. "We're not judging, Care. Seriously, I'm happy for you. I'm happy you're getting yourself back together and you're trying to move on" she said tenderly, giving her friend a side hug.

Caroline didn't know what to say to that. Was she moving on? It definitely didn't feel like it in her heart or mind. She still couldn't stop the ache in her heart at the mention of Enzo and she didn't think she could anytime soon.

It was too soon to move on and in all honesty, she didn't think she ever could complete move on from him.

But she couldn't say that to her friends. Especially not in front of Rebekah.

So she just gave her a fake, half hearted smile which was apparently enough to appease Elena.

"Speak for yourself." Katherine's snarky voice pulled Caroline out of her reverie.

Caroline sighed. "Kat- she started but was cut off as the brunette stood up immediately and started speaking over her.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed in an overly fake polite voice. "Don't mind me. I'm happy for you. I truly am" Katherine said in a suspiciously calm voice. "I'm just surprised how quickly you've forgotten your dead husband" she sneered almost spitefully making Caroline flinch. "But that's okay right? As long as _Klaus_ is happy, all is well"

At this point, not only was Caroline shocked by Katherine's behavior but so was everyone else.

"Y-you have no right to say t-this" Caroline stammered, looking through her tears at her best friend. Why would Katherine say such stuff when she knew everything? "You know-

She was cut off again as Katherine huffed, impatiently. "No. I _don't_ know anything except the fact that it hasn't even been six months since your husband was buried and here you are riding off into the sunset with your Prince Charming" she hissed, sarcastically, anger seeping through every word.

"Consider this my rejection to Rebekah's proposal for me being your bridesmaid" she smiled a sarcastic smile before turning on her heel and heading out of the house, without a care in the world.

Everyone stood shocked for a moment at Katherine's outburst. Katherine's snarky attitude wasn't unexpected but such harsh words were definitely a shocker for everyone around. At this point, Rebekah truly felt bad for Caroline and immediately felt a sense of loathing for the brunette.

Caroline blinked away the tears forming in her eyes and tried to forget the hate Katherine had spouted at her. She didn't want to let her words get to her head.

 _It wasn't true. She wasn't forgetting Enzo. She wasn't._

She repeated that mantra in her head, over and over.

"Care, I'm sorry" Elena spoke up softly, shaken up by her sister's behavior. "I-I'm not sure what got into her. She didn't mean that and I'm sure she'll come back to apologize" she tried to console her friend.

Caroline blinked away the tears and clenched her jaw. She couldn't break down. She had to stay firm by her decision. She had a best friend against another best friend situation on hand and one or the other she was going to lose some way.

"Doesn't matter if she meant or not" Caroline dismissed, not wanting to think anymore about it. "I think this is enough wedding talk for today" she said, almost bitterly, swiftly ending the discussion.

Suffice it to say, all talk of the wedding or anything regarding Caroline's decision stopped for the day.

After leaving her future sister-in-law, Rebekah headed off to her brother's office. Upon reaching there, she strutted inside with confidence and watched as people moved out of her way, recognizing her immediately.

Once she got to the top floor, she easily headed towards Elijah's office and went inside without knocking.

Her brother looked surprised at the interruption and she could see why as she watched with narrowed eyes as he fixed himself and then the brunette who sat on his table.

"Katherine" Rebekah sneered, spitefully, looking down at the disheveled brunette who was fixing her clothes while rolling her eyes.

"Don't know how to knock?" Katherine snapped, annoyed at the interruption.

"Didn't know Elijah used his office as a brothel" Rebekah answered back with a slight smirk.

Elijah sighed, sensing an argument between the two ladies.

"What are you doing here, Rebekah?" He asked, tiredly, getting up from his seat and fixing his tie which Katherine had rather brutally pulled loose.

Rebekah's glare didn't falter as she shifted it from Katherine to Elijah.

"I'm here to tell you to keep your _pet_ on a leash" she warned, brutally, looking towards Katherine. "The next time she decides to step into Nik and Caroline's life, I'll make sure to permanently damage her enough that she won't even be able to gaze at them"

Katherine scoffed at the threat and stood up in her high heels, glaring Rebekah. "I'm the one interfering?" she questioned, rhetorically. When she didn't get a reply, she started laughing bitterly. "Look at you, poor Rebekah who doesn't have a life of her own so she decides to meddle in the life of her brothers" she mocked with a fake sympathetic pout. "Do you really have nothing else to do than playing guard _dog_ for Klaus?" she answered back sassily.

"And before you even think of threatening me again, let me remind you I'm not afraid of you and frankly, neither do I care about what you think." She said, waving her hand casually. "I'm not Caroline that you can pressurize me into submitting to your whims"

Rebekah was speechless at the barricade of insults but smirked when an idea came to mind. "If you _really_ aren't scared, maybe I should go to Nik and tell him everything you said today..." she suggested and watched as both Elijah and Katherine's stance faltered a bit, making her smirk wider.

Elijah stood confused between the drama, between his sister and fiancé. Though he could just sense it was Katerina who had made a mess this time. Call it his gut feeling.

"Would anyone of you like to enlighten me about this situation?" Elijah interrupted calmly, even though, he was worried inside.

Rebekah crossed her arms over her chest with a cruel smirk on her face. "I think you should ask your beloved _Katerina"_

Katherine narrowed her eyes at Rebekah before averting her gaze. "I'm not responsible to justify my actions and words towards Caroline to anyone. She's my best friend. What happens between us is not anyone's business" she sneered, avoiding everyone's gaze.

Rebekah scoffed and Elijah opened his mouth to say something but stopped when he lifted his gaze.

"On the contrary, love" A voice came from behind Rebekah, startling the three of them. "Whatever you say to _my_ wife is my concern and my concern alone" Klaus told them in an eerily calm voice.

"Now, you better tell me the damage you've done to _my_ relationship with her before I'm forced to end yours" he threatened her calmly as he entered Elijah's office and walked straight ahead, sitting on one of the spinning chairs.

" _Excuse me?!"_ Katherine exclaimed, horrified by his male chauvinist behavior. "She isn't your wife-

"Yet" Rebekah quipped from the sidelines, enjoying Katherine being put into her place.

Elijah sighed loudly.

"Enough of all this" he announced, the authority of his voice making Rebekah roll her eyes and Katherine clench her jaw. "Katerina will fix whatever she has done" he continued. "You need not worry, Niklaus. Your wedding will be undisturbed"

Klaus eyed Katherine for moment before letting his gaze fall on his brother. He looked at Elijah and searched his eyes for any dishonesty or ill intentions but could find none. He gave his older brother a reluctant nod as his eyes pled for him to not make a scene.

He stood up and walked closer to Katherine before leaning down to whisper in her ear. "If I see you within a ten meter radius of Caroline, I will make sure Elijah dumps you out in the street like the rat you truly are" he whispered with a menacing smirk on his face before turning and heading towards the door.

"Coordinate with Caroline and get her ready Rebekah. The wedding will take place in three months" he said, not glancing at anyone before leaving.

Rebekah grinned, thrilled at the prospect of having to plan the wedding. "I'll see you at home, 'Lijah" she said before leaving.

Once the couple was alone, Elijah turned to Katherine who remained frozen in her spot.

"Why do you have to do this Katerina?" Elijah asked her softly, cupping her cheek in his face.

Katherine looked at him. "He's not right for her"

"That's not for us to decide" He answered back, lightly shaking his head.

"She's my best friend" she argued.

"He's my brother" he pointed out, knowing they wouldn't come to the same conclusion anytime soon.

Katherine glared him before pushing him away. "I won't let him ruin her life. She deserves better!"

"And I can't let you stop this wedding, Katerina" Elijah said back, calmly. "She _needs_ him and he _needs_ her" he emphasized, hoping she would understand.

"You can't or you won't?" Katherine asked, hardening her voice.

"Whatever you want to think but this just isn't possible" he replied evenly. "Stay out of this matter. It doesn't concern us"

"You can't order me around, Elijah" Katherine defended herself.

"Niklaus will ruin you. He will ruin _us_ " he informed her, his eyes shining with desperation. He desperately needed her to believe his words and the honesty in them. He didn't want to lose her only because of her dislike towards his brother. He couldn't afford to lose her.

Caroline yawned as she closed the door of her apartment and dropped her bag on the table. She walked straight towards the fridge and took out a bottle of water. She walked back into the living room and sat on the couch, spreading the blanket on her legs as she felt a bit chilly. Opening the brown takeout bag, she straight away started digging into the container of noodles.

Halfway through her meal, she turned on the TV and relaxed on the couch.

Today had been an eventful day. She had disclosed her decision to everyone inside her family and friends' circle, negotiated with her landlord after a very civil conversation and she had even looked around for a job and given her portfolio in smaller companies that she would've never even considered a year or two ago.

But it didn't matter.

She was ready to start from scratch.

She _needed_ to start from scratch.

And she would. It didn't matter if years of her hard work were for nothing. She would pass through those struggling stages again and prove herself.

Because Caroline Forbes was _NOT_ a quitter.

But she knew she only had three months for that task.

Maybe she should've asked Klaus for six months. Or maybe even a year.

But who was she kidding? She was surprised when he had even agreed to giving her three months.

She truly wondered how she went from being a strong, independent, working woman to a weak, reliant and lonely woman.

It was the true. Life could change in a minute.

With a sigh, she placed the container back on the table, no longer having the famishing appetite she did before. She snuggled into the blanket and tried to focus on the TV but her eyes got heavier until they shut completely.

Klaus closed his eyes for a minute as he leaned his head on the steering wheel of his car.

It was 3 AM and he couldn't sleep for even a second.

His mind was restless and his thoughts were jumbled.

Even though he had promised Caroline space and silence for three months, he knew he couldn't keep that process.

He wasn't strong enough for that. Now that he knew she was going to be his and his alone, he couldn't even bear to be apart from her for a day.

That was how he found himself getting out of his car and walking inside Caroline's apartment building. As he looked around, he was once again reminded of why he absolutely detested her accommodations.

He was tempted to make her move in with him but he knew he might've been pushing his luck if he would've demanded that.

Once he reached her floor, he made his way to the front door and contemplated whether to wake her up or not.

Out of instinct, he twisted the doorknob and found it… _open!_

Hundreds of thoughts came to his mind as he rushed inside only to find the TV on with the lights on as well as Caroline sleeping on the couch with a tiny blanket covering her.

His anger made him clench his jaw. Had she no regard for her safety? And it wasn't like the building she lived in had any of their own security. Anyone could casually stroll in and out without a caring a lick about being caught.

She couldn't be this careless anymore. He definitely needed to have a word with her about it.

But as he walked closer to her, he felt most of his anger leave him as he gazed at her form. He couldn't ever remember a time when he hadn't looked at her with adoration and love. Whether she was angry at him, sad or happy, he always looked at her the same way and he always would.

He perched at the edge of the table in front of the couch on which Caroline slept and looked at her. He sighed and felt all the tension in his body leave as his hand connected with her hair. He buried his fingers in her hair before bending and placing a kiss on her forehead.

Instead of moving away, however, he stayed put and let himself inhale her sweet scent. It was soft and _so_ soothing for him.

"Nik?"

He heard her soft, melodic voice ring in his ears as he opened his eyes. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice when she got up and stared at him with half sleepy yet curious eyes.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, clearing her throat as she rubbed her eyes and looked at the time. It was already past midnight. "Are you okay?" she asked, looking at him worriedly when she received no answer from him.

Klaus looked up and locked eyes with her. "I can't lose you, Caroline" he admitted, the vulnerability showing through his eyes. "Not now, not ever" he added, lightly shaking his head.

The cautious look in Caroline's stance dropped and her eyes softened immediately. "You're not going to lose me" she assured him, bringing him into her warm embrace. The grip Klaus had on her was reassuring and frightening.

The love and devotion her friend had, for her, was … _astonishing._

But she had to be selfish for once. For once she wanted to be free and independent.

"But I need you to stay away from me for the next three months"


End file.
